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Experiment - GCSE Psychology Definition

Reviewed by: Raj Bonsor

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An experiment is a type of research method where a scientist tests a question by changing one part of a situation to see what happens.

In psychology, this often means comparing how different groups of people behave when they experience different conditions. The researcher carefully controls other factors to make sure they don’t affect the results. The goal is to find out if the change in one factor (IV) causes a change in behaviour or feelings (DV).

Through experiments, psychologists aim to discover more about how the mind works, helping us understand why people think and act the way they do.

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Raj Bonsor

Reviewer: Raj Bonsor

Expertise: Psychology & Sociology Content Creator

Raj joined Save My Exams in 2024 as a Senior Content Creator for Psychology & Sociology. Prior to this, she spent fifteen years in the classroom, teaching hundreds of GCSE and A Level students. She has experience as Subject Leader for Psychology and Sociology, and her favourite topics to teach are research methods (especially inferential statistics!) and attachment. She has also successfully taught a number of Level 3 subjects, including criminology, health & social care, and citizenship.

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