lab experiments

Question 1

what are lab experiments ?

Answer 1

• they take place in artificial, controlled environments ie a laboratory.
  -mostly aim to test a hypothesis - prediction on how one variable will affect another
• preferred by positivists because data is quantitate
• positivists feel its possible to establish cause and effect in humans the same way its done with natural sciences

Question 2

what was Milgram’s obedience to authority, social experiment ?

Answer 2

• 1960s
• his hypothesis was that under authority people feel the need to be obedient and follow their intent
• m was looking at apparent conflict between obeying orders from an authority figure and an individuals obedience
• Nazis used this as a defence.

Question 3

harvey and slain (1975) - teaching expectations

Answer 3

• hypothesis - research whether teachers have a middle class bias towards students thus would expect to achieve well in school
• method showed a sample of teachers, b and w images of students, and would make a choice on how well they will do
• conc - students from a lower social class were deemed less intelligent than m/c kids

Question 4

PET - lab experiment - practical factors

Answer 4

• time consuming if lots of participants involved
• can be costful due to booking labs or risk assessments
  is scientific

Question 5

PET - lab experiment - ethical factors

Answer 5

• dbs checked if participants are under 18
• issues with consent

Question 6

PET - lab experiment - theoretical factors

Answer 6

• favoured by positivists due to quantitave data
• low validity due to controlled environment (authority influence)
• high in reliability due to scientific aspects