Experimental Research

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Experimental Research
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Experimental Research

• What is experimental research?
• Research investigation in which conditions are
  controlled so that hypotheses can be tested and
  alternative explanations can be ruled out
• Research used to make cause-and-effect
  statements (X causes Y)
• X is the independent (or manipulated or causal)
  variable
• Y is the dependent variable

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Experimental Research

• Evidence of causality (i.e., X causes Y)
• Evidence of concomitant variation (X and Y
  co-vary)
• The more of X, the better chance that we will get
  Y
• Time order sequence of variables
• If X causes Y, X must occur before Y
• Elimination of other possible explanations of why
  Y occurred
• Key is to keep all experimental conditions equal

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Types of Experiments
Laboratory Experiment
Research investigation in which Investigator
creates a situation with exact conditions so as
to control some, and manipulate other, variables
Experiment
Scientific investigation in which an
investigator manipulates and controls one or
more independent variables and observes the
degree to which the dependent variable or
variables change
Field Experiment
Research study in a realistic situation in which
one or more independent variables are
manipulated by the experimenter Under as
carefully controlled conditions as the situation
will permit
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Experimental Research

• Must try to eliminate all possible extraneous
  influences
• Possible extraneous influences
• History - event occurring during the course of an
  experiment (but not really part of the
  experimental manipulation) that influences the
  results
• Maturation - changes which occur in the
  experimental unit which occur during the course
  of an experiment that are due to the passage of
  time

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Experimental Research

• Possible extraneous influences (continued)
• Testing Effects - changes in experimental unit
  due to the experiment itself (but not related to
  the key experimental manipulation
• Measurement effect -- prior measurements effect
  the measure of the dependent variable
• Interaction effects -- subject pays greater
  attention to stimuli than they normally would
  because its and experiment

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Experimental Research

• Possible extraneous influences (continued)
• Instrument variation -- changes in the measuring
  instrument cause changes in Y (i.e, interviewer
  changes the way in which they ask questions)
• Selection Bias -- if two groups are compared,
  this notion suggests that the groups may not have
  been equivalent to begin with i.e., a
  manipulation did not cause Y group
  dissimilarities did

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Experimental Research

• Possible extraneous influences (continued)
• Experimental mortality -- respondents in
  experimental groups were lost during the duration
  of the experiment
• Statistical Regression -- Extreme Y responses,
  appear to be near the midpoint subjects do not
  want to appear to be extreme

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Experimental Research

• Experimental Symbols
• X Experimental Treatment (e.g., ad exposure)
• O Observation
• R Random Assignment of Subjects
• Experimental Designs
• One-Shot Case Study
• X O
• Problems -- Selection Bias, Control Group,
  Mortality, History, etc.

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Experimental Research

• Experimental Designs (common with test markets)
• One Group Pre-Test/Post-Test Design
• O1 X O2
• Analysis -- O2 - O1
• Problems -- History, Maturation, interactive
  Testing Effect, etc.
• Static Comparison
• X O1
• O2
• Analysis -- O2 - O1
• Problems -- Selection Bias, Mortality, etc.

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Experimental Research

• Experimental Designs (True Experimental Designs)
• Before/After with Control Group
• (R) O1 X O2
• (R) O3 O4
• Analysis (O4 O3) (O2 O1)
• Lessens History and Maturation Problems
• However, interactive testing effect still an
  issue
• O2 and O4 may a function of O1 and O3

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Experimental Research

• Experimental Designs (True Experimental Designs)
• Six Group - Four Study Design
• (R) O1 X O2
• (R) O3 O4
• (R) X O5
• (R) O6
• O2 O1 compared to O4 O3 tells if X worked
  (manipulation check) If yes, go on
• A comparison of O5 - O6 to O2 O4 eliminates all
  uncontrolled sources of variation true effects

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Experimental Research

• True experiments are very complex
• Experimental designs that are used are often
  flawed (or not True)
• Random assignment helps

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Experimental Research Test Marketing

• Test Markets Defined
• Any research that involves
• Testing a new product or change in an existing
  marketing strategy.
• The use of experimental or quasi - experimental
  procedures
• Test Market Usage and Objectives
• Estimate of market share
• Effect on sales of similar products
• Characteristics of consumers
• Behavior of competitors

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Experimental Research Test Marketing

• Decision To Conduct Test Marketing
• Benefits
• Good estimate of products sales potential
• Identify weaknesses of the product and the
  proposed marketing strategy
• Costs to Consider
• Weight the cost and risk of failure
• Likelihood and sped product can be copied
• Damage an unsuccessful new product would inflict