Why might behavioral responses in a field experiment be seen as more authentic?

Behavioral responses in a field experiment are viewed as more authentic primarily because they occur in a natural setting. In contrast to laboratory experiments, where the environment is controlled and may not reflect real-world scenarios, field experiments take place in the participants' everyday environments. This natural setting allows for behaviors to be more reflective of how individuals would typically act outside of an artificial context.

Being in a familiar environment reduces the influence of experimental demand characteristics, where participants might act differently because they are aware they are part of a study. It encourages more genuine reactions and interactions, as individuals are likely to respond according to their real-life experiences and social norms. This makes the findings from field experiments more applicable and generalizable to real-world situations.