Debates

Question 1

What is value freedom?

Answer 1

Research should be free from opinion

Question 2

What is value driven?

Answer 2

Research cannot and should not be free from opinion

Question 3

What are the 4 concepts for sociology can be a science?

Answer 3

Positivists
Objectivity
Paradigms shift
Some sociology can be falsified

Question 4

What do positivists say about sociology should be a science?

Answer 4

Research should follow the same structure as natural sciences that gain true and objective knowledge so solve social problems, make comparisons and the finding will be representative

Question 5

Who is the theorist for positivists thinking sociology should be a science?

Answer 5

Durkheim and his study on suicide

Question 6

What does the theory of objectivity say about sociology being science?

Answer 6

Keeping opinions out of it and they should be value free or validity will be compromised so they don’t emphasise or sympathise with the person being researched?

Question 7

What does the theory of the paradigm shift say about sociology being science?

Answer 7

Society sometimes moves away from a shared set of assumptions so the competing paradigm becomes the new one and we have moved away from modern society

Question 8

What does the theory say for some sociology being falsified?

Answer 8

Some theories can be proven wrong just like in science

Question 9

What are the 4 theories for sociology not being a science?

Answer 9

Interpretivists
Committed sociology
Paradigms
Falsification

Question 10

Who is the theorist for interpretivists?

Answer 10

Douglas

Question 11

What does the theory for interpretivists say about sociology not being a science?

Answer 11

Society cannot fit into a lab and that in research they need to gain verstehen

Question 12

What does the theory for committed sociology say about sociology not being a science?

Answer 12

Sociologists should be openly taking sides to different theories and should be interested in the same values of particular groups and they are not expected to impose their own values on research

Question 13

Who is the theorist for committed sociology?

Answer 13

Gouldner

Question 14

What does the theory for paradigms say about sociology not being a science?

Answer 14

Most people hold the same discipline but sociology doesn’t have a paradigm as the theories are all competing

Question 15

What does the theory for falsification say about sociology not being a science?

Answer 15

Theories cannot be put to the test or falsified as they are only predictions

Question 16

Who is the theorist for falsification?

Answer 16

Popper

Question 17

What are the 4 theories for sociology should be value free?

Answer 17

Early positivists
Modern positivists
Positivists
Methods

Question 18

What do early positivists say about sociology being value free?

Answer 18

Science should discover factual knowledge and the truth can help fix problems with certainty and objectivity

Question 19

Who is the early positivist theory for sociology being value free?

Answer 19

Comte

Question 20

What do modern positivists say about sociology being value free?

Answer 20

Their own values are irrelevant and they should remain morally neutral and not judge peoples behaviour and gives the subject purpose

Question 21

Who is the modern positivist theory for sociology being value free?

Answer 21

Douglas

Question 22

Who is the positivist theory for sociology being value free?

Answer 22

Durkheim

Question 23

What do positivists say about sociology being value free?

Answer 23

Research should be left objective to not taint the research and values could make it low in validity and biased

Question 24

What does methods say about sociology being value free?

Answer 24

They should hold the same principles of natural sciences which are objective so they remain detached

Question 25

What are the 4 theories for sociology being value driven?

Answer 25

Committed sociologist Criticisms of funding bodies Interpretivists Limitations of experiments

Question 26

What do committed sociologists say about sociology being value free?

Answer 26

They should openly take sides and should impose their own values and by empathising with participants, it means they can gain verstehen

Question 27

Who is the theorist for committed sociology?

Answer 27

Gouldner Feminists

Question 28

What does criticisms of funding bodies say about sociology being value free?

Answer 28

Sociologists embody the values and interests unlike government bodies and hey may block publicity of their findings if they are unacceptable

Question 29

What do interpretivists say about sociology being value free?

Answer 29

Value leaded research should be used to gain understanding and the meaning the behind the research as some is socially constructed and cannot be objective

Question 30

What does limitations of experiments say about sociology being value free?

Answer 30

Laboratory experiments have many limitations such as it being impossible to control and they aren't in a natural environment and verstehen cannot be gained

Question 31

What are the 4 theories of sociology should influence social policy?

Answer 31

Functionalism and positivism Social democrats Liberal feminists New right

Question 32

What does functionalism and positivism say about sociology influencing social policy?

Answer 32

If sociology was a science it could discover the reason for social problems an that it serves the interest of society if sociology influences social policy

Question 33

What do social democrats say about sociology influencing social policy?

Answer 33

The income of the wealthy is distributed to the poor and sociologists should be involved in researching social problems and making recommendations

Question 34

What do liberal feminists say about sociology influencing social policy?

Answer 34

Society is based off the conflicts of genders and that they should influence social policies to help legislation come in place for equality

Question 35

What does the new right perspective say about sociology influencing social policy?

Answer 35

The state intervening undermines self reliance and can cause social problems so they want to introduce policies that stop the dependency culture

Question 36

What are the 4 theories for for sociologists not influencing social policy

Answer 36

Piecemeal approach does not work Marxists Difference feminism Radical feminists

Question 37

What does the 'piecemeal approach not working' say about sociology not influencing social policy?

Answer 37

Tackling issues one at a time doesn't solve sociology as a whole

Question 38

What do marxists say about sociology not influencing social policy?

Answer 38

Social problems cause class inequality and they cannot be solved by the government and that they are unlikely to bring in policies that benefit the WC

Question 39

What do difference feminists say about sociology not influencing social policy?

Answer 39

Feminists experience patriarchy differently and that they should work to highlight diversity which reflects the interests of different women and their needs

Question 40

What do radical feminists say about sociology not influencing social policy?

Answer 40

These policies are not enough to tackle the patriarchy and solutions such as separatism is needed and reducing benefits limits women and these policies disadvantage them even more