Reliability in experimental sociology

Although scientists from various disciplines stress the importance of estim ating random measurement error; these discussions have little effect on exp erimenters who do behavioral sociological research. There have been two imp ortant results: (i) many experimenters continue to adopt a laissez-faire ap proach to measurement error, and (ii) there are very few discussions that i llustrate its practical importance in laboratory research. In this article I examine the role of abstract measurement theory in modern experimental so ciology giving particular emphasis to the improvement of data analysis and theory building I detail the cause and effect of random measurement error i n the laboratory and review how the reliability of behavioral data is estim ated and interpreted. Discussed are issues of statistical pointer, Type I a nd Type II errors, internal and external validity, and the prospects for cu mulative theory.