Following activities are related to the conduct of experiment in social research:

[1] Control the experimental environment

[2] Pilot test, revise and test

[3] Empathy with the participants

[4] Praising the good qualities of the participant

[5] Specify the treatment levels

Choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

The correct answer is (A), (B), (E) only.

To understand why this option is correct, let us analyze the nature of experimental conduct in social research. An experiment is a systematic and scientific approach to research in which the researcher manipulates one or more independent variables and controls and measures any change in other dependent variables.

Let us evaluate each of the given activities in the context of conducting a scientific experiment in social research:

[1] Control the experimental environment (A): This is a fundamental requirement of any experimental research. In order to establish a clear causal relationship between the independent and dependent variables, external and confounding variables in the environment must be controlled. Therefore, this activity is essential.

[2] Pilot test, revise and test (B): Before executing the full-scale experiment, conducting a pilot study is a crucial step. It allows researchers to test their design, identify potential flaws or bias, revise the methodology, and ensure the reliability and validity of the measurement tools. Therefore, this activity is essential.

[3] Empathy with the participants (C): While ethical treatment and rapport are important in social science research (especially in qualitative methods like ethnography or in-depth interviews), excessive empathy or personal involvement during a strict experimental setup can introduce researcher bias and affect objectivity. Thus, it is not a primary activity for conducting an experiment.

[4] Praising the good qualities of the participant (D): Praising participants can lead to demand characteristics, where participants alter their natural behavior to please the researcher or align with what they think is expected. This compromises the internal validity of the experiment. Therefore, it is not a standard activity in conducting an experiment.

[5] Specify the treatment levels (E): In experimental research, the researcher must clearly define and specify the levels or intensity of the independent variable (the treatment) that will be applied to the experimental groups. This specification is crucial for reproducibility and measurement. Therefore, this activity is essential.

Comparing these assessments, activities [1] (A), [2] (B), and [5] (E) are the standard, scientifically necessary procedures for conducting an experiment in social research. Thus, the combination (A), (B), (E) only is the most appropriate answer.