Method of Research

Question 1

the experimental (laboratory) method of research

Answer 1

natural sciences - experiments test hypothesis in lab conditions, variables controlled and control/experimental group
researcher changes IV to see effect of DV

Question 2

the experimental (laboratory) method of research - advantages

Answer 2

• able to isolate/manipulate variables to determine cause
• repeatable
• enables comparisons

Question 3

the experimental (laboratory) method of research - problems of using it in sociology

Answer 3

• difficult to isolate single cause/variable of social issue
• treating one group differently has ethical problems
• may object to being experimented on
• small-scale settings (unrepresentative)

Question 4

the experimental (laboratory) method of research - validity problems

Answer 4

lab conditions; artificial situations - sociologists want to people in normal social context
hawthorne effect - people may behave differently, sabotaging the experiment

Question 5

the experimental (laboratory) method of research - field experiments

Answer 5

conducted in real world in normal social conditions w/experimental method

Question 6

the experimental (laboratory) method of research - who uses field experiments?

Answer 6

interpretivist see how meanings/labels get attached to people

Question 7

the comparative method

Answer 7

collective data from different societies/social group in the real world for comparison

Question 8

the comparative method - why is this method used?

Answer 8

to identify the conditions present/lacking in a society

explain the causes of social events

Question 9

the comparative method - who uses this method?

Answer 9

positivists - aim to isolate/identify causes of social events and behaviour

Question 10

the experimental (laboratory) method of research - example of field experiment

Answer 10

rosenthal and jacobsen - self-fulilfing prophecy

students who were told were bright made greater progress