What are the strengths and weaknesses of experiments?

What are the strengths and weaknesses of experiments?

Strengths and weaknesses of experimental methodsStrengths:Weaknesses:Tighter control of variables. Easier to comment on cause and effect.Demand characteristics – participants aware of experiment, may change behaviour.Relatively easy to replicate.Artificial environment – low realism.2

What are the weaknesses of an experiment?

Weaknesses of an experiment: Experiments are sometimes less detailed and/or more unrealistic in comparison to case studies. Behaviour in the laboratory is very narrow in its range. By controlling the situation so precisely, behaviour may be very limited thus affecting results.

What is a weakness of lab experiments?

Demand characteristics – participants aware of experiment, may change behaviour. Artificial environment – low realism. May have low ecological validity – difficult to generalise to other situations. Experimenter effects – bias when experimenter’s expectations affect behaviour.

What is an example of a natural experiment?

In another example, a well-known natural experiment in Helena, Montana, smoking was banned from all public places for a six-month period. Investigators later reported a 60-percent drop in heart attacks for the study area during the time the ban was in effect.