What is a social experiment?

A social experiment is a research method that involves the manipulation of variables in a real-world setting to observe their effect on social behavior. It can be used to study various phenomena including attitudes, biases, stereotypes, conformity, and obedience. Social experiments may involve the use of surveys, questionnaires, interviews, observation, and the manipulation of environmental or social conditions to observe how people react and behave. Some social experiments have led to significant changes in society, such as the famous Milgram experiment, which studied obedience to authority figures and helped shed light on the events of the Holocaust. However, ethical concerns around the manipulation of participants have been raised and must be carefully considered when designing and conducting social experiments.