Download Ecological Validity

Ecological Validity
How does the data relate to reality?
Ecological Validity
“to what extent does the research reflect real-life situations”
It can either mean how realistic is an experiment eg.
• Plane crash simulation
• Mock trial
Or it can mean is that how we really behave? Eg.
• Eyes test
• Yuki’s emoticons
Ecological Validity
A piece of research can be described as having either,
HIGH ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY
OR
And the distinction isn’t always clear cut…
LOW ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY
HIGH ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY
OR
LOW ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY
Research into passenger
behaviour during emergencies in
planes.
Simulations can never capture the
fear
HIGH ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY
OR
LOW ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY
Loftus and Palmer 1974 used
videos of car crashes to test if
differently phrased questions led
to different approximations if
speed.
A video will never capture the full
sensation of witnessing a car
crash.
How fast were the cars going when they contacted each each other? 31.8 mph
How fast were the cars going when they collided with each other? 40.08 mph
HIGH ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY
OR
LOW ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY
Mock trials are often used in
Forensic Psychology
A mock trial cannot be considered
equal to real trial as the verdict
does hold the same significance.
However sometimes if the
participants genuinely participate
in the trial then surely their
verdict would not differ in a reallife case?
HIGH ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY
OR
LOW ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY
Baron – Cohen et al. 1997 used
the eyes test to demonstrate how
adults with autism or Asperger’s
Syndrome performed less well
reading the emotions in people’s
eyes as shown here.
However, is looking only a picture
of the eyes how we really gauge
people’s emotions in everyday
life?
HIGH ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY
OR
LOW ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY
Piliavin et al. 1969 conducted
research into bystander behaviour
(whether or not people would
help an actor pretending to
collapse).
This was a field study and can be
said to be high in ecological
validity as the participants (the
passengers) though it was real
Advanced discussion
Often ecological validity is improved at the expense of experimental
control
Mundane realism can lead to demand characteristics
In harmful situations high ecological validity (realistic) may entail
ethical considerations