Abstract
Social reformers regularly propose new solutions for the many social problems confronting our society. Some of these potential solutions are developed into innovative social projects; thus “new, improved” programs come to be implemented in health, education, welfare, and other social service areas. Alas, the potential solutions to problems in these areas far exceed actual, genuine solutions. One recent study of the effectiveness of a large sample of new programs in the areas of surgery and anesthesia revealed that these particular new programs were effective only about half the time (Gilbert, McPeek, & Mosteller, 1977, p. 685). It is doubtful that the demonstrated effectiveness of other types of novel social reform programs in areas such as education and welfare would exceed this rate. Indeed, the percentage of successful programs in these latter areas probably would be lower since all of the health programs studied by Gilbert, McPeek, and Mosteller initially had been thought to be very effective, based on preliminary testing.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Abelson, R. P., & Miller, J. C. Negative persuasion via personal insult. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 1967, 3, 321–333.
Ball, S., & Bogatz, G. A. The first year of Sesame Street: An evaluation. Princeton, N.J.: Educational Testing Service, 1970.
Bickman, L., & Henchey, T. Beyond the laboratory: Field research in social psychology. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1972.
Bogatz, G. A., & Ball, S. The second year of Sesame Street: A continuing evaluation (Vols. 1 and 2). Princeton, N.J.: Educational Testing Service, 1971.
Boruch, R. F. On common contentions about randomized experiments for evaluating social programs. In G. Glass (Ed.), Evaluation studies review annual (Vol. 1). Beverly Hüls, Calif.: Sage, 1976.
Boruch, R. F., McSweeney, A. J., & Soderstrom, E. J. Randomized field experiments for program planning, development, and evaluation: An illustrative bibliography. Evaluation Quarterly, 1978, 2, 655–695.
Campbell, D. T. Reforms as experiments. American Psychologist, 1969, 24, 409–429.
Campbell, D. T., & Stanley, J. C. Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for research. Chicago: Rand-McNally, 1966.
Canner, P. L., Berge, K. G., & Klint, C. R. The coronary drug project. New York: American Heart Association, Monograph 38, 1973.
Caro, F. G. Readings in evaluation research (2nd ed.). New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1977.
Conner, R. F. Selecting a control group: An analysis of the randomization process in twelve social reform programs. Evaluation Quarterly, 1977, 1, 195–244.
Conner, R. F. Ethical issues in the use of control groups. In R. Perloff & E. Perloff (Eds.), Values, ethics and standards in program evaluation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1980.
Conner, R. F., Rosenthal, S., McNeil, J., & Rohlf, D. Participants’ reactions to randomization. Paper presented at the Evaluation Research Society Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, Minnesota: 1979.
Cook, T. D., Appleton, H., Conner, R. F., Shaffer, A., Tamkin, G., & Weber, S. W. Sesame Street revisited. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1975.
Cook, T. D., & Campbell, D. T. The design and conduct of quasi-experiments and true experiments in field settings. In M. Dunnette (Ed.), Handbook of industrial and organizational psychology. Skokie, Ill.: Rand-McNally, 1976.
Cook, T. D., & Campbell, D. T. Quasi-experimentation: Design and analysis issues for field settings. Chicago: Rand-McNally, 1979.
Cook, T. D., & Conner, R. F. Sesame Street around the world: The educational impact. Journal of Communications, 1976, 26, 155–164.
Coronary Drug Project Research Group. Clofibrate and niacin in coronary heart disease. Journal of the American Medical Association, 1975, 231, 360–381.
Feinberg, S. Randomization and social affairs: The 1970 draft lottery. Science, 1971, 171, 255–261.
Franklin, J. L., & Thrasher, J. H. An introduction to program evaluation. New York: Wiley, 1976.
Freeman, H. E. The present status of evaluation research. In M. Guttentag (Ed.), Evaluation studies review annual (Vol. 2). Beverly Hills, Calif.: Sage, 1977.
Gaylin, W., Glasser, I., Marcus, S., & Rothman, D. Doing good: The limits of benevolence. New York: Pantheon, 1978.
Gilbert, J. P., McPeek, B., & Mosteller, F. Statistics and ethics in surgery and anesthesia. Science, 1977,198, 684–689.
Guttentag, M. Evaluation of social intervention programs. New York Academy of Sciences, 1973, 218, 3–15.
Haveman, R. H., & Watts, H. W. Social experimentation as policy research: A review of negative income tax experiments. In G. Glass (Ed.), Evaluation studies review annual (Vol. 1). Beverly Hills, Calif.: Sage, 1976.
Kerlinger, F. N. Foundations of behavioral research (2nd ed.). New York: Holt, 1973.
Mather, H. G., Pearson, N. G., Read, R. L. Q., Shaw, D. B., Steed, G. R., Thorne, M. G., Jones, S., Guerrier, C. J., Eraut, C. D., McHugh, P. M., Chowdhury, N. R., Jafary, M. H., & Wallace, T. J. Acute myocardial infarction: Home and hospital treatment. British Medical Journal, 1971, 3, 334–338.
Mitroff, I., & Bonoma, T. V. Psychological assumptions, experimentation, and real world problems: A critique and an alternate approach to evaluation. Evaluation Quarterly, 1978, 2, 235–260.
Patton, M. Q. Utilization-Focused Evaluation. Beverly Hills, Calif.: Sage, 1978.
Pechman, J. A., & Timpane, P. M. (Eds.). Work incentives and income guarantees: The New Jersey Income Tax experiment. Washington, D.C.: The Brookings Institution, 1975.
Riecken, H. W., & Boruch, R. F. Social experimentation: A method for planning and evaluating social intervention. New York: Academic Press, 1974.
Rossi, P. H. Testing for success and failure in social action. In P. H. Rossi & W. Williams (Eds.), Evaluating social programs. New York: Seminar Press, 1977.
Rossi, P. H., Freeman, H. E., & Wright, S. R. Evaluation: A systematic approach. Beverly Hills, Calif.: Sage, 1979.
Rossi, P. H., & Lyall, K. C. Reforming public welfare: A critique of the negative income tax experiment. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1976.
Stufflebeam, D. L. Evaluation as enlightenment for decision makers. In Improving educational assessment. Washington, D.C.: National Education Association, 1969.
Suchman, E. Evaluation research. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1967.
Tukey, J. W. Some thoughts on clinical trials, especially problems of multiplicity. Science, 1977, 198, 679–684.
Weiss, C. H. Evaluation research: Methods of assessing program effectiveness. Engle-wood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1972.
Wortman, C. B., Hendricks, M., & Hillis, J. W. Factors affecting participant reactions to random assignment in ameliorative social programs. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1976, 33, 256–266.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1982 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Conner, R.F. (1982). Random Assignment of Clients in Social Experimentation. In: Sieber, J.E. (eds) The Ethics of Social Research. Springer Series in Social Psychology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5719-6_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5719-6_3
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-5721-9
Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-5719-6
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive