Experimental realism

In experimental Sciences , the concept of realism refers to the question up to what point of knowing the results obtained during a given experiment can have a significance in the real-world (" out of the Laboratory ").

Experimental realism vs. ordinary realism in psychology

In Psychology, Aronson and Carlsmith the distinction between experimental realism ( experimental realism ) and ordinary realism introduced ( mundane realism ). The first describes the experimental situations in which subjects though being aware to take part in an experiment, " take with the jeu" and thus behave " naturellement" (even if the experimental situation has nothing to do with a real situation). Ordinary realism is used to describe a situation where the conditions experimental approach the real conditions as much as possible, so much so that a similar situation could occur in the normal life of the subjects. These two concepts are independent and the same perhaps realistic experiment in experiments without being realistic usually: for example, a Video game as Space Invaders strongly implies the players but is not realistic with the ordinary direction because the situation whom it brings into play does not have of equivalent in the real-world.

Ordinary realism increases the external Validité of an experiment, i.e. its generalizability with the real-world. One generally estimates that more the experimental conditions approach reality, better will be the external validity of the experiment. However, ordinary realism often goes hand in hand with practical and methodological difficulties which can harm control available to the experimenter on the course of the experiment. The external validity of an experiment requires, in addition, that other conditions are met like the representativeness of the participants compared to the global population, the absence of Effet Hawthorne…

To make sure of the Validité interns of an experiment, experimental realism is not always necessary. But certain conditions, are on the other hand required, for example, the effective handling of the experimental factors, the random distribution of the participants in the various experimental treatments, etc

The internal validity of an experiment is of course a requirement for its external validity: it is impossible to generalize of the results of experiments if these results themselves are likely to be invalid.

See too

scientific Realism

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