The experiment was a field study
The experiment was a field study held in the sixth form of Alperton Community School; natural social setting which can be more realistic than laboratory experiments. It was a random sample in which a questionnaire and photographs of couples where used by the participants and then was correlation ally analysed using the independent variable; physical attractiveness and the dependent variables; ratings by the participants .ParticipantsWe used a large 35 year 12 psychology AS Level students from two classes of both genders and mixed ethnicity. The age group was 16-20. The experiment sample included 8 girls and 8 boys which were the first eight picked from a pile of filled in questionnaires by males and female participants.
ApparatusThe apparatus used in were the questionnaire containing the scale, and the photographs in which the participants rated the couples, three sheets in total by which 2 sheets had separate male and females labelled 1-10 randomly and the third with the couple. (Appendices A,B, and C). The photographs are in black and white. The couples used in the photographs were 10 heterosexual couples of mixed ethnicity and varying ages. An instruction sheet was given to participants with consent in which they signed to accept the terms.
They were later given a debrief of what was being tested.ProcedureFirstly the participants were given an instruction sheet containing the terms required from them in order to take part in the experiment as well as the rights they had e.g. the right to withdraw at any time. Towards the end of this form was informed consent in which they signed to show they approved the terms.
They were given the questionnaire along with the photographs which were set out on two three sheets of papers. They were only given the two sheets with the separated couples. The participants were all given a fixed amount of ten minutes in which they could fill out the questionnaire. They were later shown the couples together to show whether what they had rated one female or male to be similar in physical attractiveness. The questionnaire was collected.
Lastly, they were debriefed about the actual experiment that was carried out hence the value of their results in the coursework. This was done using a sheet which explained the nature of the experiment.
