Experiments

Question 1

What are experiments?

Answer 1

Experiments are used to test a hypothesis (a testable statement/an educated assertion that we do not know is true).

Experiments are seldom used in sociology by either positivists or interpretivists.

Question 1

What are some strengths of experiments?

Answer 1

• The hypothesis can be tested in a controlled environment
• It is easy to isolate and manipulate variables to identify the causes of events (except in field experiments)
• High reliability
• Experiments allow for comparisons to be made with other experimental research
• The researcher is seen as a detached, objective observer which is considered to be more scientific

Question 2

What are different types of experiments?

Answer 2

Laboratory experiments control variables and, as such, are usually conducted in artificial environments. Field experiments are conducted in real-world settings, but variables remain tightly controlled.

Question 3

What are field experiments?

Answer 3

Field experiments are conducted in real-world environments and are therefore considered to be high in validity. Field experiments are seen by interpretivists as producing more valid information.

Question 3

What are weaknesses of experiments?

Answer 3

• It’s difficult to isolate a single cause of a social issue
• There are ethical problems, in that the researcher needs to treat one group of participants differently to another, raising the possibility of negative consequences on one group
• Experiments often involve deception, where the researcher isn’t honest with the participants about certain aspects of the experiment, this makes it difficult to obtain informed consent
• Experiments are often only practical in small-scale settings, which may be unrepresentative
• Conditions are often artificial so they cannot always be applied to real-world settings
• The risk of the Hawthorne effect can undermine validity
• In field experiments, researchers can’t control all variables, making it difficult to establish cause and effect

Question 4

What is the comparative method?

Answer 4

The comparative method retains the main principles of the experiment but collects data on different societies or social groups and then compares them with another society or group.