Experiments

Question 1

What is a laboratory experiment?

Answer 1

Measure experimental group versus control in a lab

Question 2

What is a field experiment?

Answer 2

An experiment in natural settings

Question 3

What strengths do laboratory experiments have?

Answer 3

Tight control of variables - cause and effect

Highly reliable

Question 4

Give two examples of a laboratory experiment

Answer 4

Bandura - found children had aggression towards bobo doll. This was partially evident when observing adults of the same sex

Milgram - study of obedience. Found 65% participants gave a maximum shock level due to following orders of authority

Question 5

What limitations do laboratory experiments have?

Answer 5

Practical: Expensive, small-scale

Ethical: Unethical - deception, harm etc.

Theoretical: 
Hawthorne effect (people’s behaviour changes as they are being observed)
Lacks validity
Artificial
Unrepresentative

Question 6

Give an example of a field experiment

Answer 6

Rosenthal and Jacobsen: Study into self-fulfilling prophecies. Found positive teacher expectations led to rapid progress

Question 7

What are the strengths of a field experiment?

Answer 7

Practical: N/A

Ethical: Covert may lead to issues of consent

Theoretical: No Hawthorne effect makes it more valid

Question 8

What are the limitations of a field experiment?

Answer 8

Practical: Less control over variables, access, cannot study the past

Ethical: Possible deception

Theoretical: Unreliable and unrepresentative

Question 9

How do Positivists and Interpretivists view field experiments?

Answer 9

Positivists do not like it, not quantitative or scientific like a lab is.

Interpretivists like that it shows meaning

Question 10

How do Positivists and Interpretivists view lab experiments?

Answer 10

Positivists like it because quantitative, replicable data can be gathered