Examine The Practical, Ethical And Theoretical Problems Of Using Experiments In Sociological Research
Examine The Practical, Ethical And Theoretical Problems Of Using Experiments In Sociological Research Although sociological experiments used for research are very useful for gathering information, they still have several problems. When conducting experiments, sociologists have to consider many practical, ethical and theoretical problems that may occur. There are two different types of experiment, laboratory experiments and field experiments. Laboratory experiments are ones which are conducted in an artificial environment, whereas field experiments are conducted in the participant’s natural environment. Although laboratory have many advantages, such as it is easier to control variables, meaning that results are often more reliable, they have many problems. Field experiments may give more realistic results as they are conducted naturally, rather than artificially. However, both have several problems. When conducting an experiment, sociologists have to make sure that the experiment is ethical. They have to make sure that it does not harm, or offend anyone in any way. Some sociologists question whether it is ethical to experiment on humans. This is because questions might be too personal, or might not feel comfortable taking part. However, others see experimenting on animals unethical. Another ethical issue is whether people should be told that they are the subject of the experiment. Many people don’t get told that they are taking part in an experiment, because they might act differently and change their behaviour if they were aware they were taking part. However, if they do not get told, this is deceiving them, and is therefore unethical. This is known as the Hawthorne Effect. This is a reason why experiments are rarely used by sociologists. There are also many practical problems when conducting an experiment. Situational factors may affect the results. This means that what is happening when the experiment is taking place could affect the outcome. Participants may...
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