1b - Methodological Issues.– How has social class been researched, and how successful has this been?

Question 1

Sissons

Answer 1

Used field experiments to observe the reactions of members of the public when they were asked for directions by an actor dressed as a business man or a labourer.
High in validity as the reactions were real as they didn’t know it was an experiment.
Low in validity as it wasn’t the same people
Low in ethics as now permission was given

Question 2

Brown and Gay

Answer 2

conducted field experiments in which they made bogus applications for jobs, identifying themselves as being from different ethnic groups (white, Asian and Afro-Caribbean).
High in reliability as the exact applications can be repeated

Question 3

Fran Abrams - below the breadline

Answer 3

Used an observational study by taking on three different jobs for 4 week periods, 40 hours a week on minimum wage to understand the lives of those in poverty.
Low in ethics as the participants didn’t consent, would they have been so open about their lives if they knew it was being published
high in generalisability as she worked in London as a cleaner, Doncaster in a food and preserve factory and in Scotland as a carer in an old peoples home
High in validity as they didn’t know it was research so they were very open about life on minimum wage

Question 4

The British Household Panel Survey

Answer 4

The BHPS is a longitudinal and annual survey consisting of a nationally representative sample of about 10,000 households with around 20,000 interviewed individuals. The sample is a stratified clustered design drawn from the Postcode Address File.
It is representative as it has a large sample which is stratified clustered so it has a range of people in the target population
It uses a structured interview which is reliable and high in objectivity.
High in ethics as there has been consent as people chose whether to participate or not.