Experiments (20)

Question 1

Experiments Definition

Answer 1

Giddens: Experiments “can be defined as an attempt within artificial conditions established by an investigator to test the influence of one or more variables upon others”

Question 2

What happens in Experiments?

Answer 2

Hypothesises tested. Variables are controlled and manipulated. Causal relationships investigated. Quantitative Data produced.

Question 3

What are the two types of Experiment?

Answer 3

Laboratory and Field

Question 4

Laboratory Experiments

Answer 4

Conducted in controlled and artificial environments where very precise evidence is collected consistently. Independent variables may be influencing the dependent variable they are studying and is the presumed cause of the dependent variables is the presumed effect.

Question 5

Field Experiments

Answer 5

Conducted in everyday normal environments. The research was undertaken in the social world and isolating certain variables so the hypothesis is tested. There is inherently less control over variables and can be affected by extraneous variables.

Question 6

R1) General Reliability of Experiments

Answer 6

Can be repeated time and time again, so generally, experiments, therefore, are regarded as being highly relaibile.

Question 7

R2) Why are they reliable

Answer 7

Controlled environments and standardised procedure allow for the exact conditions of the research to be repeated so results can be tested and verified.
The original experimenter can specify precisely what steps were followed in the original study so it can be repeated exactly.
It gathers objective quantitative data.
It’s a highly detached method of research as researchers merely manipulate variables and record results. Feelings and Opinions cannot influence or alter any outcome.

Question 8

R3) Milgram as an Example

Answer 8

Conducted various variations of his original obedience to authority experiment in 1961. 65% obeyed Authority Figures. It was conducted on 40 American men with a standardised procedure. As well as in different environments like a rundown office block which is a more realistic environment.

Question 9

R4) Burger as an Example

Answer 9

Concluded after conducting a replication of Milgram study (ethical adjustments) that his results still held true half a century later. 70% went past 150v. Not a statical difference from Milgram.

Question 10

Representativeness of Experiments

Answer 10

Hard to find a representative sample that reflects the population in mind. As different ages, genders and ethnicities and cultures would be needed to represent the whole population. Experiments usually use small groups, that might be biased which limits the claims that can be made and any conclusions drawn from the results.

Question 11

Representativeness Example (Rosenhan)

Answer 11

Rosenhan: 12 different hospitals, across five states, various degrees of staff to patients, funded and under-funded. But still small. Few bad apples can have affected the results. So his bold conclusion that you can’t distinguish the sane from the insane may not be accurate or apply to everyone.

Question 12

Experiments are Highly Valid

Answer 12

Lab Experiments, in particular, have high control of variables and the reduction or complete removal of EVs in experiments mean cause and effect relationships can be established. Which allows for the precise measure of the effect one variable has on another. As accurate conclusions can be drawn.

Question 13

Experiments are no Valid

Answer 13

Labs are unnatural environments so there is low ecological validity due to artificial conditions. Behaviour won’t be natural so you cannot tell us anything about how people react in real life so not the true picture of behavior

Question 14

Field Experiments and Validity

Answer 14

Have higher external validity as conducted in real life setting but there is limited control over EVs. However it is impossible to replicte things like weather and all the other factors that influence people’s behaviour.

Question 15

Validity Example (Bandura)

Answer 15

Bandura: Investigating the effects of media violence on the children watching it and showed that the media does have an effect. However, children were put in a strange situation exposed to unusual adult behaviour. Toys thats encouraged unnatural behaviour, bobo doll. Demand Characteristics.

Question 16

Practical Implications (Costs and Funding)

Answer 16

Long and Costly especially field or ones that involve a lot of equipment. So funding is needed and funding is often the sole factor that determines whether an experiment is conducting or some alternative method. Most funding is provided by the government, charities or privately which can lead to ethical issues.

Question 17

Practical Implications (Participants)

Answer 17

Need access. Not just whose there like in field experiments. Opportunity Sample. Lab volunteers which may be biased as they opt-in. Need to target access if a specific group in mind.
Rosenthal and Jacobsen: Principle allowed access to students.

Question 18

Practical Implications (General)

Answer 18

Time and Small Scale
Society is a complex machine and it is impossible to identify all variables that influence attitudes and behaviours.
It is impractical to observe large scale social processes into small scale labortories

Question 19

Ethical Implications

Answer 19

Some objects to doing experiments to humans under certain conditions but not all.
General Rule is that you need fully informed consent from the partipant. But this is hard to obtain from children or those with learning difficulties, they need their legal guardian’s permission.
But sometimes people are misled in order to avoid demand characteristics. Wrong to do this as people need to need to understand the nature and purpose of an experiment.

Question 20

Examples of Ethical Implications (Bandura)

Answer 20

Bandura (Parents consent and no follow-up or debrief) and Milgram (lied to avoid demand characteristics and patients experienced physical distress though it was removed and did a follow up)

Question 21

Theoretical Perspective

Answer 21

Experiments reflect Positivists beliefs that research should be conducted in controlled environments and the structured nature can facilitate this. As it collects empirical evidence, Highly reliable because of the precise, quant data.

Question 22

Theoretical Perspective (Hawthrone Effect)

Answer 22

Artificial Environments encourage HE. Mayo: undertook research to investigate workers productivity.

Question 23

Interpretivst Protests

Answer 23

Reject lab experiments as it fails to meet the there main goal of validity as experiments inherently produce unnatural behaviour. Field Experiments if needed are prefered.

Question 24

Conclusion

Answer 24

Experiments are undertaken when need to demonstrate when certain variables are controlled resulting on an outcome being measured and compared.
Unlike natural sciences within sociology, it would unethical and impractical to influence variables of interest like income, status which ultimately means employing experiments in sociology difficult.
Natural Experiments may be a solution

Question 25

Mayo

Answer 25

Undertook research at the Hawthorne plant of the Western Electric Company designed to increase workers’ productivity. The team tried various interventions and saw inexplicably varied results. They found that what changed the workers’ work rates was the fact they were being studied rather than any of the changes consciously made by the research team. This experimenter effect has since become known as the Hawthorne effect.