POL SCI 137A Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Observational Error
2 Feb 2017
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Document Summary
Disagreements about using deception entrenched along disciplinary lines. Conflict is bad because this stifles interdisciplinary research, creates hostilities and negatively impact the careers of scientists who may be sanctioned for following conflicting norms. Behavioral changes can be of two types (1) systematic bias from direct/ indirect exposure (2) nonsystematic bias from suspicion. Jamison et al did an experiment and reported findings that they claimed supported the direct exposure hypothesis. Authors: this is unwarranted because of selection effects, complexity of experimental design, only one significant difference. Both test systematic and nonsystematic effects and allow a rest of spillover hypothesis. Deceived participants believed deception is used more often by social psychologists and sociologists. No effect on behavior, systematic or nonsystematic. Fails to support any of the anti-deception hypotheses. Conclusion: use of deception does not significantly affect validity of experimental results. Future work should provide a behavioral test of the spillover hypothesis. Studies can address the role of other institutional arrangements.
