Experimental psychology is defined by the use of experimental methods to study behavior and the underlying psychological phenomena including: perception, action, memory and emotion.

     These methods are used in a wide range of areas including cognitive psychology and psychopathology.  The studies are non-invasive and consist of measuring behavioral variables such as:  reaction time, eye movements, arm movements, and responses selected.

     Analyses of behavioral measures vary with the experimental factors controlled by the experimenter, and provide an indication of the way the brain controls that behavior.  For example, researchers might study:

• the time it takes to retrieve information from memory
• whether the information retrieved is accurate or not
• the relation of retrieved information to the type of information memorized
• the way the brain keeps information in memory
• the comparison of results obtained with control subjects and patients with mental diseases such as schizophrenia

     The outcomes of these experiments provide a framework to understand the way the brain controls behavior and, in addition, provides some guidance for using other research methods to explore the relationship between the brain and behavior more effectively.