The Kelley experiment sought to identify and test the effects of central qualities such as warm and cold on the respondents’ first impressions on a study individual. Instead of hypothetical test subjects, the study used real persons with specific adjectives used to presumptively inform the respondents about their test subjects’ characters without invoking bias and assumptive sentiments that might ruin their response to the study process (Kelley, 1950). Such pre-information about the test subjects introduced to the respondents sought to create some expectation before actually meeting or seeing the test individuals. Therefore, the respondents were offered information about their test subjects that would enable them to react without bias and react only through expectation without concurrently interacting with their test individuals.
Strengths of the Kelley Study
Kelley’s experiment strengths included reduced bias and true randomization, which are some of the pillars of modern experimental research design. The introduction of pre-information to the respondents that would enable them react to the research process without bias and also accurately appeal to their individual expectation meant the research process would elicit accurate responses and create usable data. Additionally, the truly randomized experimental design process using three sections of 23, 16 and 16 subjects scattered all forms of clustering that might interfere with such behavioral research. Previous literature on research design denote that respondents often tend to cluster when they realize that randomized triggers are used to elicit responses from stimuli associated with human behavior.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Weaknesses of the Kelley Study
The weaknesses of Kelley’s experiment include unsuitability for large treatments and lack of certain useful data making the completely randomized block designs more useful. The treatment applied herein makes the completely randomized design useless because the variables used might not be enough to create effective denoting characteristics within the test subjects (Simple Learning Pro, 2016). Additionally, the lack of adequate complementary data used in the research design process might warrant application of the completely randomized block design where certain characteristics such as gender in the test individuals come into play to complement both research design and respondent reactions.
Application of the completely randomized block design and use of more definitively data in the experimental design process to strengthen the respondents’ reactions might complement Kelley Study. Herein, the introduction of a blocking factor such as gender might ensure that respondents respond from the true representation of the human social sample as opposed to using just male respondents. Additionally, such research designs eliminate natural bias created during behavioral experiments that occur in a social setting where respondents appeal to their natural inclinations regardless of stimuli or research process. The introduction of additional respondent stimuli which seeks to strengthen their response without affecting both pre-information and expectation might also strengthen the current research design. Use of only two denoting factors in the highly variable human behavioral spectrum might complicate the data analysis process, but also introduce some significant accuracy to the respondents’ reactions.
Possible Remedies to the Kelley Study
These two remedies are not meant to complement the research design process. They enable the respondent group to better perform in this randomized experimental design. Any changes in such designs that reduces respondent behavior while complementing their ability to react to provided or natural stimuli while participating complements the overall experimental process. However, given the complexity of human behavior and the relationships inherent in the respondents as students in a single institution, additional corrective input might be necessary as the design receives remedial action.
References
Kelley, H. H. (1950). The warm-cold variable in first impressions of persons. Journal of Personality , 18 (4), 431-439. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.1950.tb01260.x
Simple Learning Pro. (2016, November 26). Types of Experimental Designs (3.3) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10ikXret7Lk
