Methods in context

Question 1

What is an experiment?

Answer 1

-A situation where the sociologist has full control
-Variables are also identified while also being controlled
-By the sociologist playing the variables and observing the outcome, the research can conclude cause and effect relationships

Question 2

What are the types of experiments?

Answer 2

-Laboratory experiments
-Field experiments

Question 3

What is a laboratory experiment?

Answer 3

This is where the hypothesis is controlled in a made environment which focuses on independent and dependent variables

Question 4

What is a field experiment?

Answer 4

This is where the hypothesis is done in the real world and the people included are not normally aware

Question 5

What are the strengths of laboratory experiments?

Answer 5

• They are highly reliable as the original experiment can specify what steps were done in the original experiments
  -They can also very easily conclude cause and effect relationships

Question 6

What are the limitations of laboratory experiments?

Answer 6

-As it is an artificial environment, it is very unlikely that results can be compared to the real world
-It could also lead a Hawthorne effect as they aware they are in an experiment and their behaviour could change
-They also normally include deception, which comes to the conclusion informed consent can be difficult or impossible

Question 7

What are the strengths of field experiments?

Answer 7

-They are less artificial than lab experiments because they have more ecological validity
-They also don’t lead to Hawthorne effect as they are unaware they are in an experiment

Question 8

What are the limitations of field experiments?

Answer 8

• These experiments have less control over variables, meaning that they are not as scientific
  -These experiments also have very little application, due to their being very limited situations that can be changed to a field experiment
  -These experiments as don’t have consent with the people included, due to this potentially changing behaviour

Question 9

What are questionnaires?

Answer 9

-They are a set of questions, which are all asked in the same way
-They are normally self-completion but they can also be completed face-to-face or over the phone
-They mainly have closed questions, meaning that it makes quantitative data

Question 10

What are the strengths of questionnaires?

Answer 10

-Cheaper than interviews
-Quicker than interviews
-They have quantitative data which is much easier to compare
-They can also be geographically widespread

Question 11

What are the weaknesses of questionnaires?

Answer 11

-There isn’t a way to stop the research if someone becomes upset
-Questions could be misinterpreted
-They have quantitative data, meaning it lacks data
-The response rate may also be low

Question 12

Why is a low response rate bad for research?

Answer 12

The smaller amount of responses, means that the data will not be as representative

Question 13

What are the two main types of interviews?

Answer 13

Structured and unstructured interviews

Question 14

What are structured interviews?

Answer 14

-This interview already has pre-set questions
-The interviewees have a limited list of possible answers
-They are normally completed over the phone or face-to-face
-These interviews mainly have closed-ended questions which makes quantitative data
-These interviews are preferred by positivists

Question 15

What are the strengths of structured interviews?

Answer 15

-These interviews are reliable as they have a pre set list of questions, meaning that it can easily be done by another interviewer
-They can quickly be completed, meaning that the interviewer can get a big sample
-They are the least expensive form of interview

Question 16

What are the weaknesses of structured interviews?

Answer 16

-They are not as reliable as the questions and responses are already there, meaning that it may not be the interviewees answer
-Employing interviewers creates a cost
-They are not that good for many situations like sensitive subjective topics

Question 17

What are unstructured interviews?

Answer 17

-These interviews mainly asks open-ended questions meaning that there is no fixed set to ask every person
-These interviews have qualitative meaningful data
-These interviews are guided by the interviewee as well as the interviewer
-These interviews are also free-flowing, meaning it is similar to a normal conversation
-A relationship can be made between the interviewer and interviewee
-These interviews are preferred by interpretivists

Question 18

What are the strengths of unstructured interviews?

Answer 18

-Due to these interviews being informal, interviewees are more than likely to open up
-Due to the questions not being fixed, there’s a less of a chance of ideas being imposed
-Interviews can also ask questions to explore specific answers further

Question 19

What are the limitations of unstructured interviews?

Answer 19

-They are not reliable
-There is too much data
-They are not always relevant
-Hiring interviewers can be costly
-It is also makes us ask the question ‘can a close relationship and ‘conversational’ tone make answers less valid?’

Question 20

What is an observation?

Answer 20

-An observation is where a person watches someone in a situation and notes down information
-Observations create qualitative data
-Observations can also be done in various ways

Question 21

What are the four types of observations?

Answer 21

Participant, non-participant, covert, overt

Question 22

What are the advantages of participant observations?

Answer 22

-As data is done in a normal setting, the data is more likely to be accurate of the groups behaviour
-The data is rich in detail and creates an insight into social behaviour

Question 23

What are the disadvantages of participant observations?

Answer 23

-As the research is open-ended and subjective, there is no standardised system of measurement and cannot be replicated
-They are normally small-scale groups which isn’t representative
-Hawthorne effect due to how the observer is likely to influence the groups behaviour, and the researcher could also go native which means that the researcher could potentially over-identify with the group
-It is hard to ensure the participants remain anonymous
-There are problems with getting into the group, staying in the group and/or leaving the group