Experimental Research In Social Science

As a pillar in the study of natural sciences, the experiment, is widely used in social science research field. Since the early twentieth century up to now, one hundred years of development, in social science, experiment has been recognized as a part of social science research technology. It provides a powerful support for testing prediction. Also, it makes social science more and more empirical. Importantly, it provides an important source for creation of social science theory. Combing with establishing experimental areas, the (laboratory) experiment has been one of social policy evaluation methods as the development of social science. Along with the development and maturement of the social scientific experimental methods, it will be one important part of the social scientists professional skills which supports the social science in future.In this paper, based on the interactive between experiment and the social science, under the perspective of social science philosophy research, we can see one macroscopic inspection about the experiment in social science. As the method of unifying the historical investigation and logical analysis, and the method of integrating theory with practice, from the local analysis to the overall train of thought for studying the comprehensive, using the theories of philosophy and sociology research methods, we will see a macroscopic analysis about the experiment’s backgroud, foundations of experimental research in social sciences, characteristics and significance of experiments in social sciences.In this paper, the part of introduction focuses the core problem of the social science research. In the first chapter, we can see the history of the laboratory experiments, the advantages and the disadvantages of the laboratory experiments, the steps of the social science experiments,and the position of the experiments in the social science. In this chapter, the historical angle which is useful. In the second chapter, the foundations of social scientific experiments which is introduced. It contains many problems of experiments during the research of scientists who use the experiments in the social science research. Meanwhile, it contains solution. During the third chapter, the basic characteristics and the relative features of the social scientific experiments provided. In order to indicating the important of the laboratory experiments, the theoretical and the practical significance of the scientific experiments also explained in the third chapter. Finally, a summary conclusion will be given.