Field experiments

Practical advantages of field experiments?

Some subject matters may only lend themselves to field experiments

Ethical advantages of field experiments?

Consent to take part can be obtained as long as it is conducted overtly

Easy to ensure anonymity

Are field experiments reliable?

High control over variables means that they can be repeated and make them a highly reliable method

Are field experiments valid?

Natural setting participants are more likely to act natural

Which theoretical perspective would favour field experiments?

Positivists favour as it is a highly scientific method which allows for high levels of researcher control

Practical disadvantages of field experiments?

Access must be granted

Time consuming

Researcher skills required

Ethical disadvantages of field experiments?

If it is conducted overtly participants will not have given their informed consent

Unethical field experiments can cause harm to participants

Are field experiments representative?

Small sample size - not reprentative

Which theoretical perspective would not favour field experiments?

Interpretivists - humans are incredibly complex and therefore field experiments are an inapropriate method of exploring human behaviour