Theory and methods

Question 1

Quantitative resarch methods

Laboratory experiments

Answer 1

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 2

Laboratory experiments advantages

Answer 2

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

Question 3

Laboratory experiments disadvantages

Answer 3

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 (Eg. a child’s education)