Chapter 2 - Key Words - Sociological Research

Question 1

altruism

Answer 1

behaviour intended to help others and done without any expectation of personal benefit

Question 2

hypotheses

Answer 2

Tentative statements of the relationship between two or more concepts or variables

Question 3

objective

Answer 3

Free from distorted subjective (personal or emotional) bias

Question 4

descriptive study

Answer 4

Research that attempts to describe social reality or provide facts about some group, practice, or event

Question 5

explanatory study

Answer 5

Research that attempts to explain relationships and to provide information on why certain events do or do not occur

Question 6

Deductive approach

Answer 6

Research in which the investigator begins with a theory and then collects information and data to test the theory

Question 7

inductive approach

Answer 7

Research in which the investigator collects information or data (facts or evidence) and then generates theories from the analysis of that data

Question 8

variable

Answer 8

in sociological research, any concept with measurable traits or characteristics that can change or vary from on person, time, situation or society to another

Question 9

Independent variable

Answer 9

a variable that is presumed to cause or determine a dependent variable

Question 10

dependent variable

Answer 10

a variable that is assumed to depend on or be caused by one or more other (independent) variables

Question 11

operational definition

Answer 11

an explanation of an abstract concept in terms of observable features that are specific enough to measure the variable

Question 12

reliability

Answer 12

in sociological research, the extent to which a study or research instrument yields consistent results

Question 13

validity

Answer 13

in sociological research, the extent to which a study or research instrument accurately measure what it is supposed to measure

Question 14

analysis

Answer 14

the process through which data are organized so that comparisons can be made and conclusions can be drawn

Question 15

replication

Answer 15

replication in sociological research, the repetition of the investigation in substantially the same way that it was originally conducted

Question 16

research methods

Answer 16

specific strategies or techniques for conducting research

Question 17

experimental group

Answer 17

subjects in an experiment who are exposed to the independent variable

Question 18

control group

Answer 18

subjects in an experiment who are not exposed to the independent variable, but are compared to subjects in the experimental group

Question 19

correlation

Answer 19

Exists when two variables are associated more frequently than could be expected by chance

Question 20

reactivity

Answer 20

the tendency of experiment participants to change their behaviour in response to the presence of the researcher or to the fact that they know they are being studied

Question 21

survey

Answer 21

a research method in which a number of respondents are asked identical questions through a systematic questionnaire or interview

Question 22

questionnaire

Answer 22

a research instrument containing a series of items to which subjects respond

Question 23

interview

Answer 23

a research method using a data collection encounter in which an interviewer asks the respondent questions and records the answers

Question 24

population

Answer 24

in a research study, those persons about whom we want to be able to draw conclusions

Question 25

sample

Answer 25

the people who are selected from the population to be studied

Question 26

representative sample

Answer 26

a selection where the sample has the essential characteristics of the total population

Question 27

simple random sample

Answer 27

a selection in which everyone in the target population has an equal chance of being chosen.

Question 28

field research

Answer 28

The study of social life in its natural setting: observing and interviewing people where they live, work, and play

Question 29

complete observation

Answer 29

research in which the investigator systematically observes a social process, but does not take part in it

Question 30

participant observation

Answer 30

a research method in which researchers collect systematic observations while being part of the activities of the group they are studying

Question 31

unstructured interview

Answer 31

a research method involving an extended, open-ended interaction between an interviewer and in interviewee

Question 32

interpretive sociology

Answer 32

an approach to sociology that examines the meanings that people give to aspects of their social lives.

Question 33

secondary analysis

Answer 33

a research method in which researchers use existing material and analyze data that originally was collected by others

Question 34

big data

Answer 34

very large datasets that can be accessed in digital form and that can be linked with other large datasets.

Question 35

triangulation

Answer 35

using several different research methods, data sources, investigators, and/or theoretical perspectives in the same study