Research Methods: Experiments Flashcards
(23 cards)
What are the types of experiment
-Lab
-Field
-The comparative method
What is a lab experiment
One where the research takes place in an artificial environment and the variables manipulated by the researcher
This allows researchers to establish cause and effect
What is a field experiment
When the research takes place in a natural setting but the researcher is manipulating the variables
Example of a lab experiment
Milgram’s (1963) lab experiment that investigated obedience to an authority figure
IV: situation (authority figure)
DV: Whether participants were obedient to an authority figure
Practical advantages of a lab experiment
-High control over variables allows for accurate testing of cause and effect
-Standardise procedures make experiments easy to replicate and check for reliability
Practical disadvantages of lab experiments
-can sometimes be expensive - due to cost of materials, spaces, recruiting participants etc
-can be time consuming to plan- have to ensure procedures are in place to control variables and follow ethical guidelines
Ethical advantages of field experiments
-Consent is always given to take part and easier to obtain than in field experiments
-Often debriefed after the experiment- informed consent can be gained here if not previously given
-Right to withdraw can be clearly communicated
-While may to complete protection from harm in some cases, it easier to prevent
Ethical disadvantages of lab experiments
-Right to withdraw- participants may feel as though they are tied in due to being paid
-Informed consent- do not always know the full intent of the experiment (usually to prevent DC)
-Deception- may be decieved about the true aims (means IC cannot have been given)
-Harm- unnatural lab setting may make participants feel anxious or self conscious (leading to discomfort/ distress)
Theoretical advantages of lab experiments
-Highly reliable due to standardised procedures, allowing control of variables. Allows cause and effect to be established easier.
-Produce quantitative data- easier to analyse and compare results. More scientific
-Favoured by positivists because of this
Theoretical disadvantages of lab experiments
-Artificial environment - tend to be lower in external validity. So not representative of real life every day situations
-Means they are less generalisable
-Risk of the Hawthorne effect- change behaviour because they know they are being watched
-Critics- interpretivists argue they ignore meaning and context behind actions, oversimplifying complex social behaviour
-Often use a small sample, limiting generalisability
Example of a field experiment
Rosenthal and Jacobsen- pygmalion in the classroom
IV: teacher expectation
DV:student score on IQ test
Practical advantages of field experiments
-Cheaper and easier than lab experiments - less materials needed. Use a natural setting
-Can access a wider and more diverse range of participants
-Also tend to use a larger sample
-Participants often behave more naturally so results are more genuine
Practical disadvantages of field experiments
-Can be more time consuming E.G Rosenthal and Jacobsen’s took over a year to conduct . Locating suitable settings and participants may take longer
-May be more difficult to access groups ad settings E.g schools and getting permission to conduct the experiments may be challenging
Ethical advantages of field experiments
-Less artificial pressure- participants behave more naturally, reducing stress/ anxiety. No need for stressful tasks or unrealistic scenarios
-Retrospective consent could be asked for after the experiment
-Posibly be debriefed after
Ethical disadvantages of field experiments
-No informed consent- participants are unaware that they are involved in a study. Means informed consent hasn’t been given
-Means right to withdraw isn’t properly communicated to the participant
-Potential harm- less controlled than a lab experiment. May be exposed to harm
-Privacy invasion- observing people in public spaces may violate their right to privacy
Theoretical advantages of field experiments
-Favoured by interpretivists. More valid because they capture social context and behaviour more accurately
Higher in validity :
-More natural setting- more reflective of peoples natural behaviours in the real world.
-Unaware they are being observed so less susceptible to the Hawthorne effect
-This increases the external validity
-More representative than lab experiments- take place in natural settings so more applicable to the real world
-Can involve larger, more diverse groups, and so sometimes more generalisable
Theoretical disadvantages of field experiments
-Positivists criticise them- less scientific due to lack of controls
-Less reliable because they lack control and standardisation. Means its harder to replicate the findings
-Lower internal validity
-Often rely on opportunity sampling - introduce bias, making them also less representative
What is Durkheim’s comparative method
-A non expeirmental ,positivist approach that involves comparing different social groups or societies to identify patterns and causes in social behaviour
-It aims to be scientific and objective (but cant prove causation and lacks insight into individual meanings)
-E.G he used to to study issues like suicide, relying on official statistics to find correlations
Durkheim’s study of suicide with the comparative method (1897)
-Compared suicide rates across countries, religions and social groups.
-Findings:
-Protestants = higher suicide rates than Catholics
-Unmarried people= higher than married people
-Times of economic change= higher rates
-Conclusion: social integration and moral regulation affect suicide rates
Advantages of the comparative method
-Allows study of large scale patterns in society
-Avoids ethical/ practical issues of experiments (easy to access, inexpensive etc)
-Use existing data E.G official statistics
Disadvantages of the comparative method
-Can only find correlations, doesnt establish cause and effect
-Relies o the accuracy of official statistics
-Data used may be outdated
-Person who obtained the data that is being used at have had different aims
-Interpretivists argue that it misses the meanings behind actions
