Objectivity and Value Freedom Flashcards
What does the term ‘value free’ mean?
Where sociologists should study a social issue in a way that does not allow any of their personal feeling to impact upon the research.
What does ‘objectivity through neutrality’ mean?
This is where sociologists should work on behalf of the government to identify social problems
What are the 5 theories within objectivity and value freedom?
- objectivity is impossible
- objectivity is undesirable
- sociologists should take sides
- sociologist conform to a perspective
- all knowledge is relative
According to Postmodern sociologists, how does objectivity not exist because all knowledge is relative?
Objectivity does not exist because all knowledge means different things to different people.
What are the two aspects of the claim that objectivity does not exist because all knowledge is relative?
- what people see as true can change over time
- what is true varies across groups in society
According to Postmodernists, how does what people see as true can change over time mean sociology is not objective? (all knowledge is relative)
In the past, people believed that women were not mentally equipped to take on vasts amount of responsibility, but this is now not true
According to Postmodernists, how does knowledge differ across social groups in society?
In the UK, women have rights, but in Saudi Arabia they do not
What is the conclusion of postmodernists on whether sociology is not objective because of the relativity of knoweldge?
No such thing as an objective truth as the world is made up of multiple different perspectives. This is known as pluralism, and any story that seeks to have the truth is a ‘meta-narrative’
According to Myrdal, how is sociology not objective because good researchers should take sides?
Rejects objectivity through neutrality arguing that sociologists ought to go out of their way to dedicate research and theories to groups in society. Becker notes that sociologists should take the sides of the ‘underdog’
According to Goffman (1968), how is sociology not objective because godd researchers should take sides?
In his study of asylums, conducted a covert observational study by getting a job in the asylum and then noted what he saw. Disturbed about the treatment of patients, and noted they were stripped of their personal identity. They were given no autonomy and were ‘dehumanised’. He published his study and shows how sociologists must take the side of the underdog
According to Weber, how is objectivity impossible to achieve in sociology?
Impossible to achieve.
According to Weber, what are the 3 reasons as to why objectivity is impossible in sociology?
- interested in a topic. Therefore not value free
- affiliation with perspectives. Fems and Marxists
- how a sociologists interprets the data. For example when looking at inequality some blame material and cultural factors
Evaluation of the view that objectivity is impossible in sociology?
-possible to achieve if you use detached methods.
-professional researchers get paid to research things and therefore do not care
According to Gouldner, how is objectivity undesirable in sociology?
Raises concerns of sociologists today, believing they have become spiritless technicians meaning they lost their passion. They only gather data for money. In early days of sociology, researchers were ‘problem makers’ but now ‘problem takers’
According to Gouldner, how are sociologists now ‘problem takers’?
For example, early day sociologists such as fems challenged the status quo and aimed to bring about change. However now they work on behalf of those in power conducting research to keep them in power
