Chapter 4- Textbook Flashcards
What is research?
A systematic approach to gathering data using an agreed upon set of methods.
What does the kinds of research question you ask depend on?
the theoretical perspective from which you are working
What are the different theoretic perspectives?
functionalist, conflict theorist, symbolic interactionist, feminist researchers, queer theorists
What is a researcher working from a functionalist perspective interested in? Macro or micro?
- Macro
- the smooth function of society–how roles and shared values promote equilibrium
What is a conflict theorist interested in? Macro or Micro?
- Macro
- concerned with the struggle over scare resources by different groups in society and how elites control the less powerful
What are symbolic interactionists interested in? Macro or micro?
- Micro
- interested in face-to-face encounters and the meanings that people use to facilitate social life
What are feminist researchers interested in?
Examining issues pertaining to gender and inequality
What are queer theorists interested in?
troubling concepts such as the term normal; seek to expose these concepts as socially constructing.
What is the quantitative approach?
- numerical data
- converting aspects of social life into numbers to determine a relationship
- larger sample
What is a qualitative approach?
- non-numerical data
- focus is on rich detail, and are more in-depth
- smaller sample size
What are the two systems of reasoning?
inductive logic and deductive logic
What is indicative logic? Qualitative or quantitative?
A system of reasoning that moves from data to the formation of a theory
Qualitative
What is deductive logic? Qualitative or quantitative?
(theory to data)
- a system of reasoning the moves from theory to the reformulation of a hypothesis for testing
- test theory to see if expected pattern transpires
- quantitative
What are the 9 steps to the overall research process?
1) begin with an area of interest
2) conduct literature search
3) refine area of interest into specific research question
4) choose research method
5) find out where and with whom you will be able to get your needed information
6) Submit an ethical review application
7) gather your data
8) analyze the data
9) write up research and share with others
What is a hypothesis? Quantitative or qualitative?
A tentative statement about a particular relationship (between objects, people, or groups of people) that can be tested empirically.
-Use in quantitative study
Where are variables? Quantitative or qualitative?
characteristics of objects, people, or groups of people that can be measured
-In quantitative studies
What is an independent variable?
Can be varied or manipulated by researchers
What is a dependent variable?
is the reaction (if one occurs) of the participants to this manipulation
What are operational definitions?
Description of something that allows it to be measured
What is an example of an operational definitioN?
Measuring gender equality is difficult so factors such as female earnings, education, employment status, etc. were used as measures
What is validity?
The accuracy of a given measurement
-Accurately measuring the concept
What is reliability?
The consistency of a given result.
- Do you consistently get the same result?
- Results are consistent over time.
How are reliability and validity interconnected?
Researchers must have a reliable measurement before they can be confident that they have a valid measurement.
-A reserver would be unable to measure or observe a phenomenon if the measure he or she is using melds results that are inconsistent. A measurement can be reliable yet not valid.
What is correlation? Example?
A measure of how strongly two variables are related to each other. Can range from weak to strong.
Ex. correlation between condom-applying women and women who have a positive attitude towards sexuality
What is causality? Example?
Relationship in which one variable causes a change in another variable?
Ex. cigarette smoking causes bronchitis, lung disease, and lung cancer.
What is spurious correlation? Example?
A false correlation between two or more variables, even though it appears to be true.
Ex. saying the sexual assault rates are related to ice-cream sales in the summer months when it is actually due to warmer weather and more people going out.
What is a research population?
A groups of people that a researcher wishes to learn something about.
What is a sample?
A subset of the larger research population
What is the difference between a random and nonrandom sample?
- Random samples allow researchers to make generalizable claims (quantitative).
- Nonrandom samples do not allow the researcher to generalize, but instead to yield in-depth and detailed data (qualitative)
What are research methods?
Strategies used to collect data
What are the 7 research methods?
1) surveys
2) interviews
3) participant observation
4) content analysis
5) secondary analysis
6) participatory action research
7) multiple research methods
What is a survey?
A research method in which respondents answer pre-set questions
What is the most extensively used method for data collection?
surveys
What are the three main types of surveys?
1) self-administered questionnaires
2) telephone surveys
3) in-person surveys
What are self-administered questionnaires? How do they get to participants, what type of research, open or closed questions?
Can be mailed to participants, mainly used in quantitative research, closed-ended questions?
What are telephone surveys? Open or closed? Advantage?
- researcher asks respondents questions over the telephone
- open or closed-ended questions
- advantage is that the respondents can receive clarification and ask questions
What are in-person surveys? When are they particularly useful?
- Similar to telephone surveys as the researcher can provide clarification and answer questions
- May be particularly useful for children, people whose fist language is not English, people who lack literacy skills, or people with visual impairments
What are interviews? What are the three types?
- involve a researcher asking a series of questions of participants
- can be unstructured, semi-structured, or structured
What types of interview structure do qualitative researchers use? Quantitative?
Qualitative: semi-structured, and unstructured
Quantitive: unstructured
What is a semi-structured interview?
Approach the interview with a set of questions but are also open to the interviewees introducing topics they think are important.
What are unstructured interview?
begins without any predetermined questions
What are structured interviews?
every respondent is asked the same questions in the same order
What does the interviewer have the power to do?
Select what is studied, who is studied, which data are reported, how the data are reported, and therefore influence what is knowable.
What is participant observation? quantitative or qualitative?
Active participation by a researcher in a research setting; combines observation and participation in daily-life activities of research subjects (also known as fieldwork_
-Qualitative
Why is participant observation qualitative?
- Uses processes of induction as opposed to deduction
- Do not develop hypotheses; they re interested in exploring a particular place and people in an in-depth way
What are the three types of participant observation? Describe.
Covert: people in the research setting are not informed of the researchers status–they do not know that they are being observed
Semi-covert: involves revealing the nature of your stay to only some of the people involved
Open: everyone in the study is aware of the researchers status
What is content analysis? What may it include? Is it quantitative, qualitative, or both?
- A research methods involving analysis of text.
- May include magazines, newspapers, television programs, movies, blogs, and so forth.
- Content analysis can be either quantitative, qualitative, or a combination of both
What is the quantitative approach to content analysis?
You will be measuring your variables by counting in order to answer your research questions.
What is a qualitative approach to content analysis?
Is interested in a thematic analysis–considering what themes underlie the material
-More interested in how a topic is presented rather than on how many times a topic is addressed
What is secondary analysis?
A research method involving analysis of existing data. Researchers often make use of existing data for not only studying past evens, but also for examining trends over time.
What are the advantages of secondary analysis?
- The information already exists; the researcher simply has to access it.
- Less expensive
What are the disadvantages of secondary analysis?
- the researcher is restricted to whatever information has already been collected and recorded
- silences or gaps in the data are then important to note
What is participatory action research?
research that combines an action-oriented goal and the participation of research subjects.
What two approaches does action research bring together?
- action research (designed to effect change) may come in the form of a new social policy, modifications to an existing policy, or changes to the lives of the disadvantaged
- participatory research- invites concerned individuals to be a part of a project’s design and execution
What are the two main classifications of multiple research methods?
mixed methods and triangulation
What are mixed methods?
an approach in which both quantitative and qualitative procedures are used
What is triangulation?
an approach in which more than one research method is used in an attempt to more fully understand an area of study
What is the difference between mixed methods and triangulation?
In triangulation all data could be generated from more than one qualitative method or more than one quantitative method–there is o expectation that the data will be both qualitative and quantitative
How do we connect research questions to methods with a macro approach using conflict theory as an example?
Devise a research project that a ski a question with a wide reaching school. Required a macro methods, such as quantitative surveys.
How do we connect research methods with a micro approach using symbolic interactionism?
We are interested in face-to-face interactions and the meanings that people use to negotiate social life. Symbolic interactionists would choose a qualitative method, such as unstructured or semi-structured interview or secondary analysis of journals or diaries
What are the seven distinct problems of sexism in research as identified by Margrit Eichler?
1) Androcentricity- a vision of the world in male terms
2) Overgeneralization- researchers include only 1 sex but apply their findings to both
3) Gender insensitivity- gender is ignored as a variable
4) Double standard- different means to evaluate the same thing
5) Sex appropriateness- human traits or attributes are assigned to only one sex or the other
6) Familism- family taken as smallest unit of analysis in situations where specific individuals are responsible for particular actions or experiences
7) Sexual dichotomism- extreme form of double standard where the two sexes are treated as completely distinct
What three government funding bodies adopted the Tri-Council Policy on Ethics Involving Human Subjects?
1) the Canadian Institute of Health Research
2) the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
3) the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
What is respect for others upheld by?
Informed consent
What 5 things must every person who takes part in a research subject understand or do?
1) understand his or her obligations in the study
2) the risks or harms
3) the benefits that may be realized
4) his or her rights
5) every person must voluntarily agree
In brief, what was Milgram’s Obedience Study?
1961 devised an experiment in which he could witness whether people were willing to “harm” others simply because a researcher told them to.
- participants told they are in a study on learning and memory and that researchers were interested in effects of punishment on learning
- participants told to administer electric shocks to others
What are two criticisms of Milgram’s study?
1) the results would not be replicated today because we are more aware of and skeptical of authority
2) the study used only men and women would not be as willing to harm
What was the Stanford Prison experiment?
- Philip Zimbardo, 1971
- Role play
- Standford students assigned as guards or prisoners
- Had to stop after 6 days because the guards became sadistic and the prisoners became depressed.
What were the 3 ethical issues in the stanford prison experiment?
1) participants “arrested” by real police in from of their family and neighbours
2) bystanders did not know it was fake
3) “prisoners” were subjected to problematic conditions–denied food, urinate in buckets, physically harassed by the “guards”
What was the problem with Russel Ogden’s Study on Assisted Suicide?
- conduct his MA thesis on on assisted suicide among personal living with HIV/AIDS
- came to the attention of Vancouver coroner who was investigating deaths that may have been assisted suicide
- ogden has promised his participants absolute confidentiality
- SFU refused to support Ogden in his fight to uphold confidentiality
- Ogen was successful in that the court sided with him (more societal harm committed by breaching confidentiality)
