Naturalistic Observation in the Laboratory

Symbolic interactionists generally eschew laboratory research in favor of naturalistic observation in field settings. This is consistent with the recommendations of Blumer, who argued that social processes and relationships, which are the appropriate subject matter for sociology, cannot be studied adequately within the laboratory. In this statement, I argue that when the laboratory is used as a “provocative stage,” the integrity of social action and social relationships as they are manifest in social process can be as adequately studied in the laboratory as they can be in the field. I further argue that when the laboratory is used in the manner specified here, Blumer's recommendations are more adequately met than they are in field studies.