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Experimental Methodology in Political Science

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 January 2017

Rose McDermott
Rose McDermott*
Affiliation:
Department of Government, McGraw Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850. e-mail: rmm21@cornell.edu
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Abstract

Experiments offer a useful methodological tool to examine issues of importance to political scientists. The historical and cultural differences between experiments in behavioral economics and social psychology are discussed. Issues of central concern to experimentalists are covered, including impact versus control, mundane versus experimental realism, internal versus external validity, deception, and laboratory versus field experiments. Advantages and disadvantages of experimentation are summarized.

Type
Research Article
Information
Political Analysis , Volume 10 , Issue 4: Special Issue on Experimental Methods in Political Science , Autumn 2002 , pp. 325 - 342
Copyright
Copyright © Political Methodology Section of the American Political Science Association 2002 

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