An experiment is an important part of the study, during which a phenomenon is considered under conditions controlled by the researcher. This term is widely known, as it is used in a variety of sciences (mainly in the natural sciences). However, the term "quasi-experiment" is not familiar to everyone. What is it and what are the features of this type of experiment? Let's try to make out in the article.
Who is the author of the term?
This word was introduced into scientific circulation by D. Campbell, an American psychologist, philosopher and sociologist. For the first time he used it in his book "Models of Experiments in Social Psychology and Applied Research." In it, he describes the main problems associated with the collection of qualitative and quantitative knowledge, the main research models (it is here that he uses the term “quasi-experiment”), as well as some applied problems of the social sciences. The concept was introduced in order to solve the problems faced by psychologists who sought to study various problems not in strict laboratory conditions, but in reality.
Quasi-experiment is what?
This word is usually used in two meanings. In a broad sense, quasi-experiment is a general method of planning research in psychology, involving the collection of empirical data, but not all key stages of the study. In the narrow sense, this is an experiment that aims to confirm a certain hypothesis. Moreover, due to various circumstances, the researcher does not sufficiently control the conditions for its implementation. Perhaps that is why a quasi-experiment is sometimes not considered a full-fledged study, the results of which can be trusted and operated on. However, this is completely unfair (although it cannot be denied that some studies using this method were indeed carried out in bad faith).
A big difference
There is a really important difference between experiment and quasi-experiment in psychology (this term is used mainly in this scientific field). Usually it goes like this: a scientist does not have a direct effect on the subjects being studied, as should be done in this experiment. For example, if a psychologist wants to learn the techniques of memorizing verses by heart in a kindergarten, then in the case of a quasi-experiment, he will not divide children into groups, but will begin to study already established groups in a collective that learn verses in different ways. Therefore, this process is also called differently - an experiment with mixed planning. In addition, there is another name - the ex-post-facto experiment, because data is collected and analyzed after an event has occurred. This way different groups of people can study: victims of violence or disaster, students at school, adopted children or separated twins - that is, groups that cannot be artificially created.
In the experiment, the psychologist will certainly break the children into new groups and will completely control the learning process. Thus, in both cases, the researcher will come to conclusions, but in the case of a quasi-experiment in psychology, there is a certain risk that these results will be more superficial and, possibly, speculative, depending on the position of the psychologist.
Three main types
There are only three types of quasi-experiment:
- The case when the researcher does not equalize the study groups.
- There is no control group required for the experiment.
- The impact on the test subject is real, but not artificially created.
Why spend them?
It should not be thought that quasi-experiments are the lot of desk scientists who do not dare to interfere with the surrounding reality. The fact is that many experiments simply cannot be built in laboratory conditions, and it is only there that a situation of complete control is possible. Accordingly, scientists are forced to work in the field with real situations where the possibility of control is significantly reduced, and sometimes completely impossible.
In addition, it is important to conduct the so-called blind or disguised experiment, which can also often be equated with a quasi-experiment. Its participants should not know that they are being studied. In this case, the effect of waiting for any result in the subjects disappears. For example, if there are two classes, in one of which the students are taught according to the usual curriculum, and in the other class an experimental program is conducted, it is important that the children are not aware of this, otherwise the results may differ significantly from the situation of the quasi-experiment. This can manifest itself in different ways, say, students to whom they apply the new program can try very hard.
In addition, there are dependencies that cannot be controlled. For example, if a researcher considers how a new law has affected the life of a particular society, he can hardly control the situation completely.
General method logic
In general, a quasi-experiment in its logic (and specifics) does not differ from an ordinary experiment. In the same way, stages, scope are highlighted, the results are analyzed. Thus, the main feature of a quasi-experiment is that the researcher does not completely control the process, because its possibilities are limited.
However, this does not mean at all that this is a poor-quality method for studying various psychological characteristics of a person. In principle, any real experiment that is not conducted under laboratory conditions can, to a large extent, be considered a quasi-experiment.