Research Methods #2: Experiments

Question 1

What is an experiment?

Answer 1

• In an experiment, the researcher identifies and controls all variables that might affect the outcome.
• By manipulating the variables and observing what happens, the researcher can discover cause and effect relationships.
• There are two main types of experiments: laboratory experiments and field experiments.

Question 2

What is a Laboratory Experiment and who favours these experiments?

Answer 2

• Favoured by positivists, lab experiments test hypothesise in a controlled environment where the researcher changes the independent variable and measures the effect on the dependent variable.

Question 3

What are the advantages of Laboratory Experiments?

Answer 3

ADVANTAGES

• Highly reliable- the original experiment can specify precisely what steps were followed in the original experiments
• Can easily identify cause and effect relationships

Question 4

What are the disadvantages of Laboratory Experiments?

Answer 4

DISADVANTAGES

• Artificiality - lab experiments are carried out in a highly artificial environment and may not reveal how people act in the real world, any behaviour in these conditions may be artificial.
• The Hawthorne effect - a lab is not a formal or natural environment - If people know they are being studied, they may act differently.
• Ethical issues - the researcher needs informed consent of the participants - this may be difficult to obtain
• Unrepresentative: the small-scale nature of lab experiments reduces their representativeness
• It would be impossible to identify and/or control all the variables that might exert an influence on certain social issues (E.g. a child’s education)

Question 5

What is a Field Experiment and who favours these experiments?

Answer 5

• Favoured by interpretivists, field experiments take place in the real social world, whereby the sociologist either creates a situation or adapts a real-life situation to their research purpose. Those involved are usually unaware of the research taking place.

Question 6

What are the advantages of Field Experiments?

Answer 6

ADVANTAGES

• Less artificiality - field experiments are set in real-world situations.
• Validity - people are unaware of the experimental situation (no Hawthorne effect) and are in their usual social environment, they will act normally

Question 7

What are the disadvantages of Field Experiments?

Answer 7

DISADVANTAGES

• Ethical issues - involves carrying out an experiment on people without their informed consent
• Less control over variables
• Limited application - field experiments can only be applied to a limited number of social situations.