Experiments

Question 1

Laboratory Experiments

Answer 1

Favoured by positivists, lab experiments test hypothesise in a controlled environment where the researcher changes the independent variable and measures the effect on the dependent variable.

Question 2

Laboratory Experiments (advantages)

Answer 2

Highly reliable- the original experiment can specify precisely what steps were followed in the original experiments

Can easily identify cause and effect relationships

Question 4

Field Experiments

Question 5

Field Experiments
(advantages)

Answer 5

Less artificiality - field experiments are set in real-world situations.

Validity - people are unaware of the experimental situation (no Hawthorne effect) and are in their usual social environment, they will act normally

Question 6

Field Experiments
(disadvantages)

Answer 6

Ethical issues - involves carrying out an experiment on people without their informed consent

Less control over variables

Limited application - field experiments can only be applied to a limited number of social situations.