Research Methods in Procedural Justice

Abstract

The study of procedural justice phenomena has used a variety of research methods: laboratory experiments, scenario studies, field experiments, field studies, and surveys. In this chapter we will discuss each of these methods and consider their strengths and weaknesses. Especially in recent years, procedural justice research has used many different research methods. The diversity of methods allows research to compensate for the weaknesses inherent in any one method with the strengths of other methods. Where the findings of studies using different methods converge we can be certain that the phenomena discovered are not artifacts of any particular research method. Such convergence of findings from different research methods has occurred with respect to some of the most important discoveries of procedural justice research.