Field Experiments

Question 1

Practical Advantages;

Answer 1

Sample Size- natural environment allows a larger sample size.
Money- as the setting is pre existing the costs are much lower than lab experiments

Question 2

Ethical Advantages;

Answer 2

Confidentiality- Identities are kept secret as there is no need to collect this type of data.
Unintrusive- Can be done without people going out of their way.

Question 3

Theoretical Advantages:

Answer 3

Validity- Most truthful to have people would act IRL ‘ecological validity’
Representativeness; Large sample means easily generalised

Question 4

Practical Disadvantages;

Answer 4

Time- may take a long time to acquire the required results

Question 5

Ethical Disadvantages;

Answer 5

Consent; Subjects are not usually aware they are being studied.
Covert; Unethical as they don’t know.

Question 6

Theoretical Disadvantages;

Answer 6

Reliability- Difficult to replicate as you cannot control the setting.

Question 7

Ethical Case?

Answer 7

Rosenhan 1973- 12 researchers presented themselves with SKITZOPHRENIA and were all admitted to mental hospitals, once they were there they all began to act normally yet were still treated as mentally i’ll. Decieved the people involved