Experimental Methods
Experimental Approaches in Behavioral Science
Quick Info: Master of Business Research ׀ Seminar ׀ English ׀ Summer term
General Information
| Lecturer | Prof. Dr. Martin Paul Fritze |
|---|---|
| Times | Winter Term |
| Language | English |
| Credits | MBR course (A/I module), counts as 2 contact hours |
| Application | The application process is centrally organized |
Course Description
This course is meant to serve as a rigorous introduction to experimental methods. Its focus is on the current state of the literature in experimental research in marketing, psychology, and management and on the methodology of behavioral experiments.
Alongside understanding epistemological foundations, participants will learn about the interplay of theory and empirical research to craft convincing empirical packages for research papers aiming to make theoretical contributions.
In a nutshell, the objectives of the course are to develop among participating students an interest in experimental research in marketing, psychology, and management; to acquaint them with some broad fields of research where experiments have been used extensively; and, finally, to equip them with the skills that are necessary in order to understand the relevant literature in depth and be able to conduct experiments on their own in the future. Besides methods from experimental psychology, the course also covers the methodology of economic experiments.
Assignment / Grading
Students are expected to actively participate in the discussions, as well as to prepare and present a written assignment/paper. Based on the discussions in class, students should come up with a draft of an experimental project, consisting of the following elements: research idea, related literature, experimental design, hypotheses and expected results. Students will present their projects in class and the presentation will account for 30% of the grade. The remaining 70% will be based on the written assignment that they hand in.
Tentative Schedule Winter Term 2026/ 2027
| Date | Day | Time (s.t.) | Place | Content |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 19, 2026 | Monday | 10:00 AM - 03:00 PM | Room 329, Ludwigstr. 28/ RB | Kick-off & Foundations |
| Oct 20, 2026 | Tuesday | 10:00 AM - 02:00 PM | Room 329, Ludwigstr. 28/ RB | Process Evidence & Boundary Conditions |
| Nov 3, 2026 | Tuesday | 03:00 PM - 07:00 PM | Room 329, Ludwigstr. 28/ RB | Experimental Approaches & Theory Development (+ Short Group Presentations for Initial Feedback) |
| Nov 17, 2026 | Tuesday | 05:00 PM - 08:00 PM | Room 329, Ludwigstr. 28/ RB | Empirical Packages & Converging Evidence (+ Short Group Presentations) |
| Dec 03-04, 2026 | Thursday/ Friday | 09:00 AM - 06:00 PM, tba | Room 331, Ludwigstr. 28/ RB | Individual Sessions (Upon Request) |
| Jan 22, 2027 | Friday | Until 11:59 AM | Submission Deadline Presentation (PDF) | |
| Jan 25, 2027 | Monday | 09:00 AM - 02:00 PM | Room 329, Ludwigstr. 28/ RB | Final Presentations I |
| Jan 26, 2027 | Tuesday | 09:00 AM - 02:00 PM 03:00 PM - 06:00 PM | Room 329, Ludwigstr. 28/RB | Final Presentations II |
| Feb 12, 2027 | Friday | Until 11:59 AM | Submission Deadline Paper (PDF) |
Further Information
- All sessions will be held in person
- Please find all relevant guidelines and templates on our Teaching page under “Final Theses / Abschlussarbeiten"
- The number of participants is limited to 20
- Suggested readings for the course and a list of relevant literature will be given in class and included in the course material