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Laboratory Experiments

Laboratory Experiments. Research Methods in CIS 9280 Han-Gyun Woo. Overview. Definition Laboratory Procedures Advantages Disadvantages Ethical Issues Examples in IS research Conclusions. Definition. Objective To identify cause-effect relationships Setting:

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Laboratory Experiments

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  1. Laboratory Experiments Research Methods in CIS 9280 Han-Gyun Woo

  2. Overview • Definition • Laboratory Procedures • Advantages • Disadvantages • Ethical Issues • Examples in IS research • Conclusions

  3. Definition • Objective • To identify cause-effect relationships • Setting: • Artificial setting created by the researcher for the investigation of the phenomenon • Strategy: • Control over independent variable(s) • Random assignment of participants to various treatment and non-treatment conditions References: Fromkin&Streufert(1976), Stone(1979), Boudreau et al.(2000)

  4. Laboratory Settings Field Settings Laboratory Experiments Field Experiments Experimental Design Correlational Studies Conducted in the Laboratory(e.g., Personality Research) Correlational Studies Conducted in the Field Correlational Design Definition (contd.) References: Aronson et al.(1998)

  5. Laboratory Procedures • Setting the stage • Preparing the cover story: deception (a false rationale) to reduce the possibility of detection • Recruiting / training subjects: appropriateness of samples • Constructing the independent variable(s) • Choosing the number of independent variables • Between- vs. within-subject design • Avoiding participant awareness biases: demand characteristics • Optimizing the impact of the independent variable • Measuring the dependent variables • Disguising the measure • Planning the postexperimental follow-up References: Fromkin&Streufert(1976), Aronson et al.(1998)

  6. Advantages • Advantages • The researcher can isolate and control a small number of variables which may then be studied intensively • Challenges: • Diffusion or Imitation of Treatment • Compensatory equalization of treatment • Compensatory rivalry by respondents receiving less desirable treatment • Resentful demoralization of respondents receiving less desirable treatment References: Galliers (1992), Cook&Campbell(1979)

  7. Disadvantages • Disadvantages of Laboratory Experiments • The limited extend to which identified relationships exist in the real world due to: • oversimplification of the experimental situation • the isolation of such situations from most of the variables that exist in the real world • Disadvantages of Field Experiments • Difficulty to find organizations willing to be experimented • Replication is difficult References: Galliers (1992)

  8. Ethical Issues • Free scientific inquiry vs. Dignity of humans / their rights to privacy • Ethical concerns arise when the experiment involves: • deception or stressful procedure • weighting the advantages and disadvantages • Experimenters must follow ethical guidelines. • GSU Institutional Review Board: Application for Approval of a Research Project Involving Human Subjects References: Aronson et al.(1998)

  9. Examples in IS research • GDSS studies

  10. Examples in IS research (contd.) • IT project escalation studies • Keil et al. (1994); Keil et al. (1995); Keil et al. (2000) • Communication media studies • Media richness theory: Dennis & Kinney (1998) • Media choice: Trevino et al. (2000)

  11. Conclusions • From the logical positivist point of view the experiment is the ideal research strategy…. Experimenters create their own artificial universes in which to test their hypotheses (Whitley, 1995). • One of the popular research methods (Alavi & Carlson, 1992) • 1968-1988

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