QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS

Chapter 13

Quasi-Experimental Designs

In a quasi-experimental design, the researcher lacks control over the assignment of participants to conditions and/or does not manipulate the causal variable of interest. A quasi-independent variable is not manipulated by the researcher.

Internal Validity of Quasi-Experiments

Quasi-experiments typically have poorer internal validity than true experiments. However, some quasi-experimental designs are more internally valid than others. The extent to which a quasi-experimental design can eliminate possible threats to internal validity determines its usefulness.

One-group Pretest-Posttest Design

O1
(Observation 1)

X
(Quasi-Experimental Manipulation)

O2
(Observation 2)

Fails to eliminate most threats to internal validity including regression to the meanthe tendency for extreme scores in a set of data to move, or regress, toward the mean of the distribution with repeated testing. This design should never be used.

Pretest-Posttest Designs (1)

Nonequivalent Control Group Design

Researcher obtains one or more groups of participants who are similar to the group that receives the quasi-independent variable.

Pretest-Posttest Designs (2)

Nonequivalent groups posttest only design measure both groups after one receives the quasi-independent variable

X -

O O

Potential Threat to Internal Validity: Groups may have differed before the treatment

Pretest-Posttest Designs (3)

Nonequivalent groups pretest-posttest design both groups are measured before and after the quasi-independent variable
O1 O1 X -O2 O2

Potential Threat to Internal validity: Local history effect something else may happen to one group that does not happen to the other group (selection-by-history interaction)

Time Series Designs (1)

Measure the dependent variable on several occasions before and after the quasiindependent variable

Time Series Designs (2)

Simple interrupted time series design

O1

O2

O3

O4

O5

O6

O7

O8

Helps distinguish the effect of the quasiexperimental variable from aging or maturation Possible Threat to Internal Validity: Contemporary History observed effects may be due to some other event that occurred at the same time as the quasi-independent variable

Employees at an electronics firm reported their level of burnout before, during, and after their 2-week vacation period. Source: Adapted from Westman and Eden (1997).

Time Series Designs (3)

Interrupted Time Series with a Reversal

O1 O2 O3 O4 X O5 O6 O7 O8 -X O9 O10 O11 O12

Shows effects of the quasi-independent variable (X) AND what happens when the quasi-independent variable is removed (X)

Interrupted Time Series Design with Multiple Replications

Introduces and withdraws the quasi-independent variable more than once

Time Series Designs (4)

Control Group Interrupted Time Series Design

An interrupted time series design that includes a nonequivalent control group that does not receive the quasi-independent variable

O1 O1

O2 O2

O3 O3

O4 O4

X --

O5 O5

O6 O6

O7 O7

O8 O8

helps rule out certain history effects

Time Series Designs (5)

Comparative Time Series Design

Examines two or more variables over time in order to understand how changes in one variable are related to changes in another variable E.g.: Cross-lagged panel design Provides indirect evidence that change in one variable may cause a change in the other variable

Longitudinal Designs (1)

The quasi-independent variable is time; nothing has occurred from one observation to the next except for the passage of time
O1 O2 O3 O4 O5

Used to study age-related or developmental changes

Longitudinal Designs (2)

Advantages of longitudinal designs:

Distinguishes age-related effects from generational effects (unlike cross-sectional studies) Allows researchers to observe how individuals change with age.

Drawbacks of longitudinal designs:

Difficult to recruit and retain participants Difficult to keep track of participants Repeated testing requires time, effort, and money

Cross-Sequential Cohort Designs

Age Cohort 1 O1 O2 O3 O4 Age Cohort 2 O1 O2 O3 O4 Age Cohort 3 O1 O2 O3 O4 two or more age cohorts (groups of people of the same age) are measured at two or more times allows researchers to tease apart age and cohort effects.

Evaluating Quasi-Experimental Designs

Quasi-experimental designs can show that:

the

presumed causal variable preceded the effect in time the cause and effect covary

Quasi-experimental designs do not:

eliminate

all other alternative explanation of the results through randomization and experimental control

Quasi-experiments are typically less internally valid than experiments. Usefulness depends on eliminating important threats to internal validity.

Common Threats to Internal Validity (1)

Common threats in designs that study one group before and after the quasiindependent variable include: History Maturation Regression to the mean Pretest sensitization

Common Threats to Internal Validity (2)

Common threats in designs that compare two or more nonequivalent groups include:

Selection bias Local history

Increasing Confidence in Quasi-Experimental Results

Researchers often measure both the effects of the quasi-independent variable as well as the processes that are assumed to mediate the relationship.
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