Pilot Studies

A pilot study is a small scale trial run of the investigtion. Pilot studies involve a handful of participants rather than the total number in order to 'road test' the procedure and check the investigation runs smoothly. Pilot studies can also apply to questionnaires/interviews to make sure the right questions are being asked. Pilot studies allow the researcher to identify any potential issues and to modify the design/procedure saving time and money in the long run. Single Blind Procedure:Sometimes participants will not be told the aim of the research at the beginning of a study. As well as this participants may not be told which condition of the experiment they are in or whether there is another condition at all. This is called a single blind procedure and is an attempt to control confounding effects of demand characteristics. Double Blind Procedure:In a double blind procedure neither the participants nor the researcher are aware of the aims of the investigation. A third party conducts the investigation without knowing its main purposes. Double blind procedures are often used in drug trials.Control Groups:Control groups are used so researchers can compare results. If the change in the behaviour of the experimental group is significantly greater than that of the control group, then the researcher can conclude that the cause of this effect was the independent variable providing all other confounding variables have remained constant