An educational psychologist is investigating the impact of an unexpected school building closure (which forced a sudden transition to online-only learning) on student motivation. They compare the motivation levels of students at the affected school with those at a nearby school that remained open.
Which of the following correctly identifies the research method used and the reason for this classification?
A quasi-experiment, because the independent variable (IVIVIV) is an inherent, pre-existing difference between the two student populations.
A natural experiment, because the independent variable (IVIVIV) is a naturally occurring environmental event that was not manipulated by the researcher.
A field experiment, because the researcher actively manipulated the teaching environment within a real-world educational setting.
A naturalistic observation, because the researcher is simply measuring student behaviour in their natural environment without an independent variable.
644 exam-style questions on OCR A Level Psychology Research methods and techniques. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.