Experiments Flashcards
what is lab experiment introduction
carried out under controlled conditions in artificial settings
favoured by positivists because it achieves the main goal of reliability
however interpretivist reject it because it fails to achieve their main goal validity.
aim to uncover the cause and effect relationships
strengths of lab experiment
P - quick and simple way of generating quantitative data
E-
consent - by agreeing to come to the lab and take part in the study, the participants are agreeing to be researched.
anonymity and confidentiality can be maintained as data tends to be quantitative so participants simply become numbers and no one knows who took part in the research.
T-
reliable - once the research has been conducted, other scientists can then replicate it. it can be repeated exactly in every detail. therefore highly reliable and produce the same results each time.
objective - the experimenter is detached and unbiased in relation to the subjects.
lab experiment
weakness
P - society is complex which means that it is not possible to control all variables e.g participants mood, health and how people behave in everyday life may be different to how they behave in artificial experiment
E - deception - sometimes the researcher does not disclose the true aims of study to the participant which means the participants have been deceived - they may have consented but not be fully informed about nature so they have not given informed consent. ( milgram study)
psychological harm = depending on the topic of research, participants may be harmed by taking part in it.
T
unrepresentative = lab experiments tend to be small scale using a small sample of participants which makes them representative.
invalid - the lab is an artificial environment so behaviours of those taking part are likely to be artificial. also they may act the way the experimenter wants them to behave. this is called the Hawthorne effect therefore reduces validity
what is field experiment?
carried out in under controlled conditions in natural setting
carried out covertly
what are strengths of field experiment?
P - NONE
E - anonymity and confidentiality can be maintained as data is quantitative so participants become numbers so no one knows who took part in research. pseudonyms can also be given to the participants to hide their true identity.
T - valid = field experiments are more valid than lab experiments as field experiments tend to be covert which prevents hawthorne effect. they are also conducted in natural setting which avoids artificiality of the lab experiment
reliable - more reliable than other research methods as all experiments tend to be controlled so it can be replicated ( but less reliable than lab as it is more difficult to control all variables in a natural setting.
what is limitation of field experiment?
P - more time consuming and costly than lab experiments as it may be more difficult to set up the situation under natural conditions than in a lab.
it is also more difficult to control all variables in a natural setting.
E- field experiments are mostly covert making them unethical as there is no possibility to obtain informed consent.
they are also can be psychological harm caused to the subjects
T
unrepresentative as the sample tends to be small
what is comparative method?
compares two social groups that are similar in all aspects but one.
uses official statics to make comparisons
alternative to actual experiment as it happens in the mind of the researcher so it does not involve experimenting on real people.
This is why it is referred to as a thought experiment.
what strengths of comparative method?
p = it uses official statics which cheap and quick to obtain
e= poses no ethical problem as there is no active participant
t= reliable, it can be easily replicated.
two weakness of comparative method?
the specific data the researcher needs for the thought experiment may not exist if it is not gathered by the government in official statistics.
lacks validity as researchers could impose their own meanings on the data.
