The topic of sociology is looking at the world from a different perspective. Our world is a place of rules that are to be followed, people that are to be admired and a guideline to how to be the' ideal human being'. Perspectives segregate into different concepts. Two main concepts that contrast each other are Marxism and Functionalism. A Marxist would argue that there is conflict between the upper class/middle class and working class: they have a relationship of exploitation where the working class are being used by the upper/middle classes, and are unaware of so. On the other hand, a functionalist would argue that society functions in a way that benefits everyone and that the institutions, such as schools, are part of life that allows people to progress. Overall, sociology is the scientific study of human behavior.

Moreover, social experiments are a part of this subject. Social experiments behold the true person inside of the cover that is your body, especially if the experiment is done covertly because as a result people act naturally which results in valid research. Examples of social experiments are laboratory experiments and field experiments which give different results. Laboratory experiments result in quantitative data which can be compared/ standardized. Field experiments are experiments held in the person's natural environment. This results in qualitative data that gives insight on attitudes, feelings and behavior.

In the 21st century, social experiments are seen and used differently by today's youth. YouTube is over flowing with social experiments that people have decided to film and report, for example: both a man and a woman asked strangers for hugs separately; the woman received a hug every time asked while the man did not. This conveys society's thoughts of the different sexes and suggests that gender inequalities remain an issue in this modern-post modern era. Social experiments portray the real you.

 

Joya Peri, William Morris Sixth Form College