Experiments - done Flashcards
laboratory experiments
used as a way of studying human behavior
reliability
experiments are highly reliable as sthe steps used can be precisely specified for replication, the researcher is detached so there is no influence on people.
practical problems
it’s impossible to identify and control all of the possible variables, can’t be used to study the past, and can only study small groups of people at a time
ethical problems
lack of informed consent - need it but may be difficult to obtain from children
deception - it is seen as wrong to mislead people
harm - sweat, tremble, bite their lips, digging finger nails into flesh are common effects of experiments
Hawthorne effect
mayo came up with this phrase and it means that if people are aware they are being studied they may act differently as a result of wanting to help the researcher, it in turn ruins it
free will
free wil means our behaviour cannot be explaine in terms of caus and effect
to study the real truth of understanding the choices we make, two new methods of experiments were made, field experiments and the compartivie method
field experiments
takes place in subjects’ natural surroundings, unaware of what’s happening, teh researcher manipulates one or more variables to see what effect it has on the subjects
comparative method
is a thought process rather than a real experiment, it occurs in mind of sociologist, to identify two groups who have the same qualities except the variable wanting to research then compare the two to identify if the difference has any effects
milgrims experiment
he lied about the purpose of research saying they were assisting in an experiment about learning - ordered to deliver electric shocks when the learner failed the question
real purpse was to test iwllingness to obey orders
65% were willing to administer 45 volts
test was fake there was no electric shock
