Ebook: Controversial Issues in Social Research Methods

It is often said that one of the key determinants of a book's wmth is the extent to which it fulfills the reader's expectations. As such, we welcome this oppor­ tunity to help formulate the expectations of our readers, to express our view of what this book is and what it is not. We believe that fully appreciating this volume requires understanding its mission and how it differs from that of other books on research methodology. We have not prepared a primer on research techniques. We offer no "how­ to" guides for researchers-nothing on how to conduct interviews, how to design studies, or how to analyze data. We also have not prepared a partisan platform documenting "our way" of thinking about research. Very few, if any, attempts at proselytizing may be found in these pages. What we have done, we believe, is to bring together a number of recurring controversial issues about social psychological research-issues that have divided profes­ sionals, puzzled students, and filled the pages of our journals. Few scholars have missed reports arguing the sides of various methodological contro­ versies, such as those surrounding the merits or shortcomings of field research in comparison to laboratory research, the use of role playing as an alternative for studies involving deception, or the value of informed consent procedures, to name only a few examples. Our aim in preparing this volume has been to organize and summarize the salient aspects of these and other impmtant controversial issues.

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The purpose of this book is to review for the first time the many controversial issues of research methodology that have arisen in the social psychological literature. Key issues summarized include: - the arguments favoring role-playing as an alternative to research involving deception - the value of informed consent procedures - the role of laboratory vs. field research in theory development and application - the potential value and limitations of meta-analysis. In this way, the present work captures the excitement and constant growth of social research methodology. By using this book, researchers and students can assess the latest ideas and the classic thoughts concerning their varied research methodology options. This is no ordinary text, no "how to" guide, but an extensive, unbiased review of what social scientists have to say about the research methods they use. As such, it is intended to be an essential sourcebook for all social scientists and a critical volume for use in graduate-level seminars in the social sciences, especially social psychology.

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The purpose of this book is to review for the first time the many controversial issues of research methodology that have arisen in the social psychological literature. Key issues summarized include: - the arguments favoring role-playing as an alternative to research involving deception - the value of informed consent procedures - the role of laboratory vs. field research in theory development and application - the potential value and limitations of meta-analysis. In this way, the present work captures the excitement and constant growth of social research methodology. By using this book, researchers and students can assess the latest ideas and the classic thoughts concerning their varied research methodology options. This is no ordinary text, no "how to" guide, but an extensive, unbiased review of what social scientists have to say about the research methods they use. As such, it is intended to be an essential sourcebook for all social scientists and a critical volume for use in graduate-level seminars in the social sciences, especially social psychology.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xiii
The Scientific Status of Social Psychology....Pages 1-20
Informed Consent....Pages 21-37
Role Playing Versus Deception....Pages 39-60
The Laboratory Experiment Versus Field Research....Pages 61-78
Experiments Versus Quasi-experiments....Pages 79-93
Subject Roles....Pages 95-120
Experimenter Bias....Pages 121-138
Debriefing....Pages 139-160
Postexperimental Inquiries: Assessing Demand Awareness and Treatment Effectiveness....Pages 161-175
Meta-analysis Versus Traditional Integrations of Research....Pages 177-194
Back Matter....Pages 195-240

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The purpose of this book is to review for the first time the many controversial issues of research methodology that have arisen in the social psychological literature. Key issues summarized include: - the arguments favoring role-playing as an alternative to research involving deception - the value of informed consent procedures - the role of laboratory vs. field research in theory development and application - the potential value and limitations of meta-analysis. In this way, the present work captures the excitement and constant growth of social research methodology. By using this book, researchers and students can assess the latest ideas and the classic thoughts concerning their varied research methodology options. This is no ordinary text, no "how to" guide, but an extensive, unbiased review of what social scientists have to say about the research methods they use. As such, it is intended to be an essential sourcebook for all social scientists and a critical volume for use in graduate-level seminars in the social sciences, especially social psychology.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xiii
The Scientific Status of Social Psychology....Pages 1-20
Informed Consent....Pages 21-37
Role Playing Versus Deception....Pages 39-60
The Laboratory Experiment Versus Field Research....Pages 61-78
Experiments Versus Quasi-experiments....Pages 79-93
Subject Roles....Pages 95-120
Experimenter Bias....Pages 121-138
Debriefing....Pages 139-160
Postexperimental Inquiries: Assessing Demand Awareness and Treatment Effectiveness....Pages 161-175
Meta-analysis Versus Traditional Integrations of Research....Pages 177-194
Back Matter....Pages 195-240
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