Lab experiments are a major source of knowledge in the social sciences.
Laboratory experiments are a widely used methodology for advancing causal knowledge in the physical and life sciences. With the exception of psychology, the adoption of laboratory experiments has been much slower in the social sciences, although during the past two decades the use of lab experiments has accelerated. Nonetheless, there remains considerable resistance among social scientists who argue that lab experiments lack "realism" and generalizability. In this article, we discuss the advantages and limitations of laboratory social science experiments by comparing them to research based on nonexperimental data and to field experiments. We argue that many recent objections against lab experiments are misguided and that even more lab experiments should be conducted.
Falk
Armin
A
Centre for Economic Policy Research, Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute for Economic Research, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), and University of Bonn, 53113 Bonn, Germany.
Heckman
James J
JJ
D004467:Economics; D005717:Games, Experimental; D006801:Humans; D007753:Laboratories; D012106:Research; D012107:Research Design; D012942:Social Sciences