What is an experiment in sociology?
A method where researchers control variables to test cause-and-effect relationships.
What is the independent variable (IV)?
The variable the researcher changes.
What is the dependent variable (DV)?
The variable that is measured.
What is the main aim of experiments?
To establish causation (cause and effect).
What is a laboratory experiment?
An experiment conducted in a controlled, artificial environment.
Give an example of a lab experiment.
Stanley Milgram – obedience study.
One strength of lab experiments?
High reliability (easy to replicate).
One weakness of lab experiments?
Low ecological validity (unnatural setting).
What is a field experiment?
An experiment conducted in a real-life setting.
Give an example of a field experiment.
Rosenthal and Jacobson – teacher expectations study.
One strength of field experiments?
High validity (realistic behaviour).
One weakness of field experiments?
Less control over variables.
What is a natural experiment?
An experiment where the IV occurs naturally.
Strength of natural experiments?
Useful when unethical/impossible to control variables.
Weakness of natural experiments?
Low control → difficult to prove causation.
What is validity?
Whether the study measures what it intends to.
What is reliability?
Whether the study can be repeated with similar results.
Why do positivists support experiments?
They are scientific, reliable, and objective.
Why do interpretivists criticise experiments?
They lack validity and don’t reflect real behaviour.
How are experiments used in education research?
To study labelling and teacher expectations.
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families and households - functionalist theory7
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families and households - marxist theory5
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families and households - feminist theory4
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feminism7
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observations - research methods8
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interviews - research methods11
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experiments - research methods4
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education - class differences in achievement - cultural deprivation11
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education - class differences in achievement - material deprivation7
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education - class differences in achievement - internal factors5
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education - ethnic differences in education - cultural deprivation4
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education - ethnic differences in achievement - material deprivation1
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education - ethnic differences - internal factors5
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education - gender differences - external factors5
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education - gender differences - interanl factors5
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education - gender differences - boys underachievement4
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durkheim - education5
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parsons - education5
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davis and moore - education3
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bowles and ginitis - education6
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bourdieu - education4
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families and households - the domestic divison of labour - couples5
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families and households - the future of childhood2
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families and households - has childhood improved?3
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families and households - are couples becoming more equal?2
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families and households - decision making2
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families and households - demography8
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is sociology a science?10
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methods in context2
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globalisation and marketisation5
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parental choice3
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functionalist theory - crime and deviance7
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mertons strain theory - crime and deviance28
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subcultural theory - crime and deviance27
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interationalists - crime and deviance24
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research methods16
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social policy - education1
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beliefs in society - functionalist theory17
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beliefs in society - marxist view11
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beliefs in society - gender18
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beliefs in society - secularisation8
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experiments20
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social policy education25
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globalisation - education4
