Experiments - Field Experiments Flashcards
What do field experiments aim to overcome?
The unnaturalness and lack of validity of lab experiments
Where do field experiments take place?
In the natural setting of the subject
What does researchers using field experiments do to see the effects on the subjects in the experiment?
They manipulate one or more of the variables
Brown and Gay’s field experiment into racial discrimination in employment
They sent a white and a black actor to interviews for the same jobs. The actors matched in every way other than ethnicity. The white actor was more likely to get the job
Wood et al’s field experiment into racial discrimination in employment
Sent applications to over 1000 jobs from three applicants of different ethnicities. White applicants were more likely to get an interview
Positive evaluation of the use of field experiments
More natural and valid for real life
Avoids artificiality of lab experiments
Why may field experiments be seen as unethical?
Because the experiment is carried out on subjects without knowledge or consent
What do researchers using field experiments have a lack of control over?
Lack of control over variables which means we cannot be certain that the true cause of something has been found
Who’s carried out the field experiment ‘Pygmalion in the classroom’?
Rosenthal and Jacobson
Where did Rosenthal and Jacobson carry out the ‘Pygmalion in the classroom’ study?
‘Oak school’ primary schools
What were pupils given in Rosenthal and Jacobson’s ‘Pygmalion in the classroom’ field experiment?
They were given IQ tests
What did the Rosenthal and Jacobson tell the teachers about the result of the IQ tests in the ‘Pygmalion in the classroom study’?
They told the teachers that the tests had enabled them to identify 20% of the pupil who were most likely to ‘spurt’ in the next year
How were the 20% of ‘spurters’ selected by Rosenthal and Jacobson in the ‘Pygmalion in the classroom’ study?
They were randomly selected - the IQ test results had no impact
What were Rosenthal and Jacobson’s aims of the ‘Pygmalion in the classroom’ study?
Plant in teachers’ minds a particular set of expectations
See if expectations had ant effect on pupil performance
Why wasn’t there any reason to expect the performance of the 20% ‘spurters’ to be different to their classmates?
Because they were randomly selected
