EXPERIMENTATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCES: POSSIBILITIES AND LIMITATIONS

This article examines experiment as a unique type of measurement technique which is used for the investigation of different social phenomena. The use of experiments today depends on the type of the phenome- non under investigation and the purposes of the researcher as well as restrictions posed by ethical issues. The artificiality of the laboratory settings, problems with randomization and validity as well as ethical considerations are all listed as weaknesses of the experimental design. The greatest value of the experiment can be seen in the possibility to investigate highly controversial issues of human behavior