Research Methods - Experiments
- Created by: xpoppywilliams
- Created on: 23-03-18 14:10
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- Experiments
- Field Experiments
- Two features which distinguish it from lab experiments:
- Takes place in the subject's natural surroundings
- Those involved are generally less aware that they are subjects of an experiment
- Researchers can manipulate one or more variables to see the effects
- Benefits
- Natural environment
- Avoids artificiality of lab experiments
- Untitled
- Issues
- The more realistic, the less control
- Cannot be certain of the causes identified are actually correct
- The more realistic, the less control
- Two features which distinguish it from lab experiments:
- Laboratory Experiments
- Experimental Group
- Vary the conditions
- Control Group
- Conditions are kept constant
- Reliability
- Once the experiment has been conducted, other scientists can then replicate it
- Original experimenter can specify precisely what steps were followed in the original experiment so other researchers can repeat in the future
- Very detached method: the researcher merely manipulates the variables and record the results - personal feelings/opinions have no effect
- Used to identify cause-and-effect relationships in natural sciences
- Practical Issues
- Impossible to identify and control all the possible variables that might influence people
- Cannot be used to study the past
- Can only study small-scale groups - difficult to investigate large-scale social phenomena
- Ethical Issues
- Lack of informed consent
- Harm may be caused to participants
- Participants may be deceived if not told the true purpose of the study
- The Hawthorne Effect
- A laboratory is not a normal or natural environment
- Behavior in these conditions may be unnatural or artificial
- If people don't behave in a true-to-life way, the experiment will not produce valid results
- Behavior in these conditions may be unnatural or artificial
- A laboratory is not a normal or natural environment
- Experimental Group
- The Comparative Method
- Carried out in the mind of the sociologist
- A 'thought experiment'
- Doesn't involve an actual experiment on real people
- Designed to discover cause-and-effect relationships
- How it works:
- Step One: Identify two groups that are alike in all major aspects except for the one variable that is of interest
- Step Two: Compare the two groups to see if the difference between them has any effect
- Step One: Identify two groups that are alike in all major aspects except for the one variable that is of interest
- Carried out in the mind of the sociologist
- Field Experiments
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