Field Experiment
A Field Experiment is an interventional experiment that intervenes with subjects in their natural environment.
- Example(s):
- Counter-Example(s):
- See: Field Study, External Validity.
References
2009
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field_experiment
- A field experiment applies the scientific method to experimentally examine an intervention in the real world (or as many experimental economists like to say, naturally-occurring environments) rather than in the laboratory. Field experiments, like lab experiments, generally randomize subjects (or other sampling units) into treatment and control groups and compare outcomes between these groups. Clinical trials of pharmaceuticals are one example of field experiments. Economists have used field experiments to analyze discrimination, health care programs, charitable fundraising, education, information aggregation in markets, and microfinance programs.