Official Statistics - Theoretical Advantages and Disadvantages Flashcards
What do positivists view OS as?
Objective facts about society
Adjective to describe OS
Reliable
What are OS very important resources in?
The scientific study of sociology
What are OS a major source of?
Representative, quantitative data
What do OS allow sociologists to do?
To identify and measure behaviour patterns
What do OS allow to be established?
Correlations
What research method do OS provide more representative sample than?
Surveys conducted with limited budget available to sociologist
How big is the scale usually of OS?
Very large - potentially covering entire population
Why are OS gathered by compulsory registration extremely representative?
Because they are likely to cover all cases
Why can OS allow sociologists to make generalisations?
Because greater care is taken with sampling procedures when conducting official surveys
Why can OS be easily replicated by others?
Because they are compiled of trained staff who use standardised categories, following set procedures
What do Interpretivists see OS as?
Social constructs
What do Marxists and feminists see OS as performing?
Ideological functions
Why are stats from official surveys less likely to be representative?
Because they are based only on relevant population
What may census coders or census respondents do which will decrease the reliability of OS from census readings?
Coders may make errors when recording data
Respondents may fill out the forms incorrectly
What claim of positivists do Interpretivists reject?
Claim that OS are reliable, objective social facts
What do OS represent according to Interpretivists?
Labels officials attach to people
What do Marxists regard as OS serving the interests of?
Capitalism
What are OS produced by the state a part of according to Marxists?
A part of the ISA (Althusser)
What is the function of state-made OS according to Marxists?
To conceal reality and maintain power of capitalist class
What data may not be published in OS according to Marxists?
Sensitive data that would reveal the unequal, exploitive nature of capitalism
What does census data since the 1980s no longer include which shows sensitive data about unequal, exploitive nature of capitalism not being punished (Marxism)?
Class differences in death rates
What do definitions used to create OS conceal according to Marxists?
The true reality of capitalism
Example of how changing definitions used in OS conceal the true reality of capitalism (Marxism)
Definition of unemployment changed which reduced number of people defined as unemployed
Why do feminists Oakley and Graham reject the use of quantitative research methods?
Because they see them as ‘masculine’ or patriarchal research methods
What do OS conceal and maintain according to feminists?
Conceal gender inequality
Maintain women’s subordination
What do OS underestimate about women according to feminists? What does this reflect?
Underestimate their economic contribution which reflects patriarchal nature of state
What do some OS show according to feminists who support use of OS?
Some OS show clear evidence of gender inequality
Positive impact of changes in definitions used in OS according to feminists
Changes in definitions may reveal women’s position more clearly
