Examine the reasons why most sociologists choose not to use experiments in their research (20 marks)
An experiment can be defined as a controlled observation. The researcher manipulates an aspect of the environment in order to assess the effect it has on the participants’ behavior. Experiments can take the form of lab experiments (done in a controlled environment), filed experiments (done in a natural setting but still observe the IV and DV) and natural experiment (done in a natural setting and the researcher waits for the IV and DV occur). Positivists favor primary data and they want to use quantitative to test their theories, whereas interprevists prefer qualitative data to find meanings that people attach to the world.
Sociologists are unlikely to use experiments because have practical limitations, such as being expensive, time consuming and difficult to conduct. Society is too complex to fit in a laboratory so experiments are not relevant to the study of human behavior. Therefore for practical considerations are an important reason why they are not often used by sociologists. However, they have some practical strength. As they use a methodology that mirrors the natural sciences. Hypotheses can be created and variable isolated in order to establish causes and effect relationships e.g. in bandura’s experiment the hypotheses ‘violent imagery causes violent behavior’. Was used to isolate variable and establish that exposure to violent imagery (causes) led to more violent behavior.
Experiments tend to be unethical as by their nature they manipulate participants under certain conditions for them to work.
Most lack informed consent because if people knew the purpose of the experiment it most likely wouldn’t work. For example, if milgram told participants it was about obedience rather than learning, it wouldn’t have worked. It is a highly criticised unethical