A researcher is interested in teacher success. He selects two groups of teachers, one that has been highly successful and one that has not been too successful. He finds that successful teachers tend to be more outgoing, somewhat more dependent, and more interested in people than less successful teachers, assuming that everything has been methodically well done. Given the possible strengths and weaknesses of this research, can the researcher plan an experiment to test these relations?

 Yes, the researcher can plan an experiment to test the relationship between personality traits (e.g., outgoingness, dependency, interest in people) and teacher success — but with certain limitations and ethical considerations.

Let’s break it down:

1. Nature of the Original Study

• The described study is ex post facto, or correlational, because:
• The researcher is comparing already existing groups (successful vs. less successful teachers).
• Personality traits were measured, not manipulated.
• It identifies associations, not causation.

2. Strengths and Weaknesses of the Original Study

Strengths	Weaknesses
Identifies important patterns and traits related to teacher success.	Cannot establish causality — only shows correlation.
Helps in hypothesis generation for future research.	May involve confounding variables (e.g., school type, student demographics, years of experience).
Non-invasive, uses natural settings.	Retrospective bias may affect accuracy of personality assessments.

3. Can an Experiment Be Conducted?

Yes — with some creativity.
While we cannot change a teacher's personality, we can design an experiment to:

• Simulate or train certain behaviors (like social engagement),
• Randomly assign new or trainee teachers to different behavior-focused workshops, and
• Observe impact on performance outcomes.

4. Possible Experimental Design

Component	Design Plan
Participants	New or trainee teachers (e.g., B.Ed students or first-year teachers)
Intervention (IV)	Behavioral training modules: e.g., one group receives training on people-oriented teaching techniques, another does not.
Measurement (DV)	Measures of success: student feedback, classroom observations, supervisor ratings, student achievement, etc.
Random Assignment	Teachers randomly assigned to experimental and control groups.

5. Ethical and Practical Considerations

• Personality traits are relatively stable, so full experimental manipulation of personality is not feasible.
• But behaviors associated with personality (e.g., communication style, interpersonal engagement) can be influenced.
• Ethical boundaries must be respected (no deception or long-term behavioral coercion).

6. Alternative: Quasi-Experimental Design

If full experimental control isn't possible, the researcher can use a quasi-experimental design:

• Match groups on variables like experience, subject taught, school type.
• Apply targeted interventions.
• Measure outcomes comparatively.

Conclusion:

While you cannot experiment on inherent traits like personality directly, you can experimentally test the effects of trait-related behaviors or skills on teacher success. This helps move from correlation to causal inference, making the study more rigorous and actionable.

Would you like a draft research proposal format for such an experimental design?