Intro to SS

Question 1

Anthropology

Answer 1

The scientific study of the origin, behaviour and development of humans.

Question 2

Psychology

Answer 2

The scientific study of the human mind, behaviour and mental state.

Question 3

Sociology

Answer 3

The study of human relationships within social organizations and groups. It’s the scientific study of development, structure and functioning of human society.

Question 4

Theory

Answer 4

An interrelated, coherent set of ideas that help explain and make predictions.

Question 5

Hypothesis

Answer 5

Specific assumptions and predictions that can be tested and determine their accuracy.

Question 6

The Social Science Inquiry Process

Answer 6

Step One: Identify a problem or question
Step Two: Develop a hypothesis
Step Three: Gather data
Step Four: Analyze data
Step Five: Draw conclusions

Question 7

Primary Sources

Answer 7

First hand data

Question 8

Secondary Sources

Answer 8

Data gathered from others

Question 9

Quantitative Data

Answer 9

Involves numerical values

Question 10

Qualitative Data

Answer 10

Involves qualities and observations without numerical values.

Question 11

Case Studies

Answer 11

An in DEPTH OBSERVATION of an individual situation over a period of time.

Question 12

Experiments

Answer 12

They are a test conducted in a CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT in order to determine how one factor is related to another.

Question 13

Observation

Answer 13

Observations involves studying the behaviour of people in relation to your subject matter to learn about them in their “normal surroundings”.

Question 14

Unstructured Observation

Answer 14

Studying people without a predetermined idea of what to look for.

Question 15

Structured Observation

Answer 15

Involves planning in advance what will be observed and noted, and keeping lists of things to look for.

Question 16

Participant Observation

Answer 16

Used mostly by ANTHROPOLOGISTS and is when a researcher lives among the culture being studied. The researcher is a participant in the group, and the subjects are aware that they’re being observed.

Question 17

Sample Surveys

Answer 17

Are a series of questions designed to obtain information about the thoughts or behaviours of a limited number of people who represent a larger group. Two types of sample surveys are interviews and questionnaires.

Question 18

Interviews

Answer 18

INTERVIEWS are a set of questions asked by one person to another looking for explanations or descriptions of thought and behaviour.

Question 19

Pros of Case Studies

Answer 19

Can reveal a great deal about a single situation e.g family, class and personal issues

Question 20

Cons of Case Studies

Answer 20

Time consuming, expensive, generalizations cannot always be made.

Question 21

Pros of Experiments

Answer 21

Controlled environments where variables can be manipulated.

Question 22

Cons of Experiments

Answer 22

Expensive
Is it natural behaviour?
Is the experiment ethical?

Question 23

Pros of Observations

Answer 23

• True responses
• Can gain trust by spending time with the group, they get to know the researcher

Question 24

Cons of Observations

Answer 24

• Don’t know other contributing factors
• May “miss” important occurrences
• Time consuming

Question 25

Pros of Sample Surveys

Answer 25

• Anonymous should produce honest answers
• Quick easy to calculate efficient, cheaper

Question 26

Cons of Sample Surveys

Answer 26

• May be difficult to make generalization if the results are too varied
• Bias

Question 27

Pros of Interviews

Answer 27

• Allows for more in-depth explanation of responses
• May be more clear/honest than other methods

Question 28

Cons for Interviews

Answer 28

• Time consuming
• Danger in making generalizations from few interviews

Question 29

Scientific Method

Answer 29

A process that scientists use to better understand the world around them.

Question 30

Scientific Law

Answer 30

This describes an observed pattern in nature.