Realism in Laboratory Simulation: Myth or Method?

Abstract

By asking the question What is it that makes an experiment 'realistic' ? we seek to recast previous discussions focused on versus artificiality. It is suggested that relationships between variables may vary under different experimental conditions. degree of realism is used as a means of identifying experimental characteristics. This analysis of the concept of realism provides a meaningful alternative for future synthesis of small group research, both field and laboratory. Characteristics of a research method labeled realistic are also identified. T here is increasing interest in laboratory simulation by sociologists.1 A wide range of research efforts have been categorized as simulations which on the surface appear to have little similarity. Some researchers have restricted their efforts to computer programming, e.g., simulation of voting behavior and other social processes.2 Efforts also have been made to combine the use of computers and human subjects in a variety of *Revision of a paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, Chicago, Illinois, September 1965. Financial support for this research was provided by United States Air Force Grant #AF-AFOSR-572-65, monitored by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research of the Office of Aero Space Research. 1 It is of special interest that a recent introductory methods text includes a chapter on simulation; see Bernard S. Phillips, Social Research: Strategy and Tactics (New York: Macmillan Co., 1966), pp. 145-152. 2 Ithiel De Sola Pool and Robert Anderson, The Simulmatics Project, Simulation in Social Science, (ed.) Harold Guetzkow (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1962), pp. 70-81. such papers were presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, September 1965, Chicago, Illinois, in a section entitled Three Models Work and its Discontents: Raymond Breton, Output Norms and Productive Behavior In Non-Cooperative Work Groups (Johns Hopkins University); R. R. RiHi and C. P. Fair, Simulating the Behavioral Consequences of Changes In Organizational Systems (IBM, Armonk); and John T. Gullahorn and Jeanne E. Gullahorn, Computer Simulation of Role Conflict Resolution (Michigan State University). This content downloaded from 157.55.39.163 on Wed, 21 Sep 2016 04:50:40 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms