Tag: experiments
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Experiments within schools
What are the strengths and limitations of using laboratory and field experiments to research education?
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Two-stage balloon rocket as an introduction to ‘experiments’ in sociology
The two-stage balloon rocket experiment is a useful ‘alternative’ starter to introduce the topic of experiments – a topic which can be both a little dry, and which some students will find challenging, what with all the heavy concepts! Using the experiment outlined below can help by introducing students to the concepts of ‘dependent and…
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Sociological Experiments
This post aims to provide some examples to some of the more unusual and interesting experiments that students can explore and evaluate. I’ve already done a post on ‘seven field experiments‘, that outline seven of the most interesting classic and contemporary experiments which are relevant to various topics within the A-level sociology syllabus, in this…
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The Twinstitute – An interesting example of the experimental method
The Twinstitue on BBC2 usefully demonstrates some of the strengths and limitations of ‘laboratory’ experiments. The series subjects a number of twins to various experiments in order to try and isolate the effect of one variable on another. For example in one experiment in a recent episode, the twins were split into two groups and…
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The Importance of Sleep for Learning…..
I’ve recently read an excellent book called ‘Why We Sleep‘ by Mathew Walker. This book is based on decades of personal research into sleep carried out by Walker and others and references hundreds of studies on the benefits of sleep. Sleep both before and after learning improves memory retention – this is because during NREM…
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Social Experiments on T.V.
There have been a lot of T.V. productions which have run ‘social experiments’ in recent years. This post simply outlines a few examples of these and some of the strengths and limitations of social experiments run by media companies. Channel 4 seems to be the main outlet for these experiments…. Some (relatively) recent examples of…
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Bandura, Ross and Ross (1961) – The Imitative Aggressive Experiment
This classic example of a laboratory experiment suggests that children learn aggressive behaviour through observation – it is relevant to the Crime and Deviance module, and lends support to the idea that exposure to violence at home (or in the media) can increase aggressive and possibly violent behaviour in real life. Bandura, Ross and Ross…
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Experiments in Sociology – Revision Notes
Definitions, key features and the theoretical, practical and ethical strengths and limitations of laboratory and field experiments applied to sociology (and psychology). Also covers key terms related to experiments. post has been written to help students revising for the research methods aspect of their second year A-level exams. Experiments – The Basics: Definitions/ Key Features…
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Experiments in Alternative Living (1)
The average twenty something in the UK will spend £263K on housing over the next 32 years of their life, and many will spend considerably more, which is, let’s face it, an enormous sum of money. What I find deeply offensive about this astronomical figure is that there are a few brave souls currently engaged in what…
