Experiments Flashcards
What are Lab experiments?
Comparing two groups in order to discover a cause and effect relationship while manipulating the variables in which the researcher is interested in, in order to discover what effect they have.
Lab experiments Advantages
-Once a lab experiment has been done other researchers can replicate it following the same steps, therefore it is considered to be completely reliable.
-It is also a detached method, (records results)
Which sociologist prefer Lab experiments?
Positivists who see sociology as a science; like this method as they see it as objective and using scientific methodology
Lab experiments Didadvantages
-Theoretically many sociologists have serious doubts about using experiments, in human social research as they see it as artificial producing artificial results
-If people are aware they are being study they may fall to the Hawthorne effect that will effect the validity
What are Field Experiments? (adv and disadv)
They take place in the subjects natural surroundings (like school) rather than an artificial environment
-to make it more valid and realistic and avoid hawthorne effect.
- Some would argue it’s unethical
Comparative Method (adv+disadv)
Unlike other experiments, the comparative method is carried out only in the mind of the sociologist. It is a ‘thought experiment’ and does not involve the researcher actually experimenting on real people at all.
it too is designed to discover cause-and-effect relationships. It works as follows: (a) Identify two groups of people that are alike in all major respects except for one variable we are interested in. (b) Then compare the two groups to see if this one difference between them has any effect.
-Therefore, this method is ethical, it avoids artificiality and can be used to study past events.
-However, it gives the researcher even less control over variables than do field experiments, so we can be even less certain whether this method has really discovered the cause of something.
Why might it be necessary to deceive the subject of an experiment?
Because it will increase validity of your research as the subjects won’t fall under the Hawthorne effect
Why would Interpretivists reject the experimental method?
They would reject it as it’s comped and doesn’t hold the same rules as science. Therefore, using experiments in human research produces artificial results
Suggest a criticisms of field experiments
-Deceiving people (unethical)
One adv and one disadv of using comparative method:
(ADV) - Allows sociologists to study past events
(DISADV)- Even less control than Field Experiments
