Question

Consider Mary's study of whether the learning of 6th graders on a math lesson is affected by background noise level. Describe the pros and cons of Mary using a repeated measures design for this study. What would you probably choose to do? Support your responses.

Answer 1

• Pros: Mary will be able to use the same participants in several tests, which will reduce the individual differences between one test and another. In addition, she will be able to use a small number of students, as this type of experimental design allows her to use the same students for all tests.
• Cons: Order and fatigue effects can occur, which results in the participants knowing what the next tests will be like and performing better or worse, because they already know what will be tested next, or because they are fatigued and discouraged.

Step-by-step explanation:

The repeated measures design is a type of experimental design that is characterized as a cross-over clinical trial. This is because it allows a volunteer to be tested in a sequence of tests with the same types of treatment.

This type of experimental design has its advantages and disadvantages, for this reason, it is necessary that whoever is conducting the experiment adopt policies that reduce the disadvantages and stimulate the advantages in the best possible way.

In the case of the question shown above, the pros and cons are:

• Pros: Mary will be able to use the same participants in several tests, which will reduce the individual differences between one test and another. In addition, she will be able to use a small number of students, as this type of experimental design allows her to use the same students for all tests.
• Cons: Order and fatigue effects can occur, which results in the participants knowing what the next tests will be like and performing better or worse, because they already know what will be tested next, or because they are fatigued and discouraged.