Introduction
Conducted in real-world settings like schools, workplaces, or
public spaces.
Participants are often unaware, leading to genuine reactions.
Offers high external validity, applying results to real-life
situations.
Example: A subway heart attack study demonstrated the
bystander effect- where individuals are less likely to offer
help in an emergency when others are present, due to a
diffusion of responsibility.
However, lower control over variables means reduced
internal validity.
Practical
Considerations
Structured Post-Experiment
Planning
Ahead 📝 Instructions🎭 Interview 🎤
Ethically debrief
Pilot tests and Set the stage
Participant insights
alternative Prepared
Confidentiality
explanations script
reminder
Instrumental Conditioning of Involuntary Responses*: Neal Miller's
1
experiments demonstrated that involuntary responses, such as heart rate,
intestinal contractions, and blood pressure, can be brought under
instrumental control and taught through reinforcement, challenging the
belief that only voluntary responses can be learned.
NEAL MILLER'S Study in Experimental Design and Control*: Miller used a two-group design
2
where rats were rewarded for changes in heart rate. To control
VISCERAL Learning extraneous variables like muscular exertion, the rats were paralyzed
with curare and rewarded with direct electrical stimulation to the
brain, ensuring precise measurement and control.
3. *Shaping and Long-term Effects*: By using the technique of shaping, Miller
3 increased the magnitude of heart rate changes. Further research showed that the
animals remembered and differentiated the learned heart responses from other
responses, indicating the potential for long-term learning of visceral responses.
Winter et al.'s study on
Classic Personal Style
Cynicism and Sophistication – Detached, worldly outlook.
1. Introduction to the Study
Antihumanitarianism – Indifference toward humanitarian
Conducted by Winter, Alpert, and colleagues to assess the
ideals.
impact of educational institutions on students' attitudes and
Method:
behaviors.
Participant observation and psychological tests before
Focused on a New England boys' boarding school, "St.
and after the program.
Grottlesex," modeled after English public schools.
Experimental group (32 boys) compared with a control
group (30 boys).
2. Purpose and Methodology
Second experimental group and control group tested the
Objective: Test whether boys would adopt the "classic
following summer, with 23 regular students for
personal style" associated with English public schools.
comparison.
Core Themes:
3. Key Findings and Results
Intellectualism – Analytical thinking and academic rigor.
Main Findings:
Self-Control – Discipline and emotional restraint.
No significant differences on standard tests of attitudes
Respect for Authority – Acceptance of impersonal
authority. and values.
Experimental group showed:
Negative attitudes toward impulsiveness and
emotionality.
Winter et al.'s study on
Classic Personal Style
Sophistication and cynicism in approach to life.
Positive attitudes toward authority.
Indifference to humanitarian values.
. Core Concept Explanation
Institutional Conditioning:
Voluntary responses (values and attitudes) can be modified through exposure.
Imaginative and associative processes showed subtle changes.
Involuntary responses, such as emotional empathy, remain difficult to condition.
5. Conclusion
Impact of Institutional Culture:
Educational institutions can instill a distinct "personal style."
Influence is more subtle, reflected in imagination and attitudes rather than overt value changes.
Newcomb's Bennigton
College Study
Theodore Newcomb’s Bennington College Notably, this ideological shift persisted
Study (1930s) was a longitudinal field even after graduation, demonstrating the
long-term impact of socialization. The study
experiment that examined how social
provided early evidence that peer influence
environments influence political attitudes.
and group norms play a crucial role in
The study focused on female students from
shaping personal beliefs. Conducted in a
wealthy, conservative families attending
real-world setting, this research highlighted
Bennington College, a liberal arts school.
how exposure to different social
Over time, as they interacted with
environments can lead to lasting attitude
progressive faculty and liberal peers, many change, making it a significant contribution
students gradually adopted more liberal to the understanding of social influence in
political views. psychology.
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
High Ecological Validity Less control over
Less artificial behaviour variables
Practical Applications Ethical concerns
Cause and effect Difficult to replicate
relationships Potential for
confounding variable
FIELD StudieS
VS
FIELD EXPERIMENTS
FIELD STUDY YOU OBSERVE AND GATHER INFORMATION
A field study is a research method where researchers observe and analyze behaviors, events, or
phenomena in their natural settings without manipulating any variables. It focuses on real-world
conditions to understand patterns, interactions, and social behaviors as they naturally occur.
Example: A researcher observes how people interact at a coffee shop to study social behavior.
FIELD EXPERIMENT YOU INTRODUCE A CHANGE AND SEE HOW IT AFFECTS
A field experiment is a study conducted in a real-world setting where researchers manipulate one or
more variables to observe their effects while maintaining some level of control. Unlike laboratory
experiments, field experiments occur in natural environments, making them more realistic but harder
to control.
Example: A researcher places a "Lost Wallet" in different locations to see how many people return it,
analyzing factors like location and crowd density.
FIELD STUDY FIELD EXPERIMENT
( Observation Model) ( Testing Model)
Observing and analyzing subjects in Manipulating variables in a real-world
their natural environment without setting to study their effects.
Definition interference.
To test hypotheses by introducing
To gather qualitative or quantitative controlled changes in a real-world
Purpose data about behaviors, trends, or scenario.
environments.
Some control; researchers manipulate
Control No control; researchers only observe. certain variables while keeping others
constant.
Over
Variables
No direct intervention; just data Direct intervention by the researcher
Intervention collection. to measure cause-and-effect.
Nature of Research Descriptive and exploratory Experimental and analytical.
FIELD STUDY FIELD EXPERIMENT
( Observation Model) ( Testing Model)
High external validity Balances real world setting with
ADVANTAGES experimental control.
Participants often unaware of the
Natural behaviour is been observed experiment,reducing bias.
DISADVANTAGES No control over Variables, making Limited control compared to lab
case effect relationships hard to experiments, making it difficult.
determine .
Takes longer and may require more Result May still lack complete
resources. generalizability due to experimental
setup.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, field experiments help researchers study
real-life behavior in natural settings. Unlike lab
experiments, they show how people truly react in
everyday situations. However, they come with
challenges like ethical concerns and less control over
variables. Careful planning, testing, and post-
experiment interviews can improve their accuracy.
Overall, field experiments are important because they
help us understand human behavior in a way that feels
real and practical.
Thank
You
Aneeta | Angela | Anshitha | Esther V.
Garima Sharma | Khushi Maheshwari | M.Baslica
