MT3 - Objectivity and subjectivity

Question 1

Objectivity definition

Answer 1

The absence of bias or preconceived ideas

Question 2

Subjectivity definition

Answer 2

Bias or lack of objectivity. Favoured by Interpretivists

Question 3

Value freedom definition

Answer 3

Refers to research being free from contamination or distortion by the values held by researchers. Favoured by Positivists

Question 4

Early Positivists and Functionalists - Comte and Durkheim

Answer 4

Argued that the role of Sociology is to discover the truth about how society works

Sociologists should do so using objective, reliable methods based on natural sciences.
Such objective study of society would produce knowledge that can be used to solve social problems.

Question 5

Marx

Answer 5

He believed that his method of historical analysis, historical materialism, was scientific and could reveal the line of development of human society

He argued that the role of Sociology was to reveal the truth of this development which will enable us to reach the classless communist society.

Question 6

Weber

Answer 6

Weber made a distinction between value judgements and facts and argued that we can not derive values from facts.

Weber’s views on the role of values in research:
Values are a guide to research
Values in data collection and analysis – values must be kept out of data collection and analysis and that research must be objective.

Question 7

Modern positivists

Answer 7

Modern Positivists began to argue that the role of sociology was not to improve society

This was because:
They desired to appear scientific so they saw their job as being simply to establish the truth about people’s behaviour.

Question 8

Committed Sociology - Myrdal and Gouldner

Answer 8

Argue that Sociologists should make their values clear and openly ‘take sides’ by supporting the values of certain groups in society.

They argue that value free Sociology is:
Impossible because Sociologists’ values are bound to be reflected in their research
Undesirable because values are needed to guide their research.

Question 9

Funding and careers

Answer 9

Most Sociological research is funded by government, business and charitable departments and organisations, rather than by Sociologists themselves. Therefore, the research will reflect their values and interests.

Research may also be affected by the researcher’s own personal values derived from their background.

All of these will mean that their research is not value free.

Question 10

Perspectives

Answer 10

Different Sociological perspectives embody different values about how society is or should be

These values will influence the topics Sociologists from each perspective choose to study, the concepts they develop and conclusions they reach.

Question 11

Relativism and Postmodernism

Answer 11

Relativism argues that:
Different groups have different views as to what is true and each one sees the world in their own way.
There is no absolute truth, just many truths