Official statistics Flashcards
Why do official statistics save time and resources for the sociologist?
They are readily available and often free of charge on the internet, so their are cheap and easy to use
Why are official statistics likely to be valid, reliable and representative?
They are produced by research that is well planned and organised, using large samples
How do official statistics allow you to spot trends?
They are often part of a longitudinal research, so they show changes over time e.g. in crime, unemployment and divorce rates
Examples of how official statistics allow comparisons to be made
Between men and women, or between different areas of a country
What problem do interpretivists have with official statistics?
They are socially constructed, instead of being objective facts. Caution should be taken when using them
Example of how official statistics are socially constructed
A rise in motoring offences may not mean there is an increase in the offence. It could mean police are cracking down on motorists so more offences are recorded
How might official statistics not be as complete or accurate as they appear to be? (example)
The 2011 UK census may have missed out about a million people
Example of how official statistics don’t contain exactly what a researcher wants to know
A sociologist may want to know how many marriages break down, but official statistics count divorces, not separations
How do politics affect official statistics
They can be biased in favour of the government and altered to show things in the best light
What problem do Marxists have with official statistics?
They reflect ruling class interests, so they help to maintain and justify the way things are
Example of the problem Marxists have with official statistics?
The way laws are made and statistics put together has the effect of drawing attention away from ruling class crime
