Paper 2 Research Methods

Question 1

What is positivism?

Answer 1

The belief that we should not go beyond the boundaries that can be observed
Fact over opinions/emotions
Based on observing and basing things on fact
Humans are objects

Question 2

What are social facts?

Answer 2

Institutions, norms, values that are external to our choices
That may make us behave a certain way

Question 3

What do positivists believe about behaviour?

Answer 3

they believe that behaviour is a natural phenomenon which follow social forces/laws

Question 4

What are positivist patterns and trends?

Answer 4

free will, choice and individualism are shaped by society, society means more than the individual, they believe they can predetermine patterns and trends in peoples behaviour just by observing

Question 5

How do positivists view the life of an individual?

Answer 5

People are born, they take their place in society then they die
Majority of society is unaffected by this

Question 6

What do positivists mean by “puppets of society”?

Answer 6

Individuals are the product is social forces that are beyond control and as a result behave in a way that conforms to society

Question 7

What data type do positivists use?

Answer 7

Quantitive What data type do positivists use? data

Question 8

What do positivists say about objectivity?

Answer 8

Scientific research should be objective and value free(no opinions/morals)
Maintain neutrality and objectivity

Question 9

Why do positivists believe that social research is influential?

Answer 9

Avoids bias
Government prefer it-allows for generalisation
They use science so its fact-so seen as prestigious

Question 10

What research methods do positivist use?

Answer 10

Prefer primary research which mainly produces quantitative data
Quantitative secondary data-official documents

Question 11

What is interpretivism?

Answer 11

Theory by Max Weber
Rejects positivism
Rejects idea that humans are objects

Question 12

What do interpretivists believe about behaviour?

Answer 12

Béhaviorismes is not determined by social structures which people have no control
They argue that people are active creators of their own destiny as they are conscious beings who act with intention and purpose

Question 13

What do interpretivists say about social interactions?

Answer 13

People choose to come together to interact in social groups
What makes an interaction social is that all who take part give it the same meaning and interpret it in the same way otherwise social interaction is not possible
When people interact with each other they interpret their own behaviour ans that of others

Question 14

What do interpretivists mean by “architects of society”?

Answer 14

That people have free will to behave the way they do and they do not act in a way that purposely conforms to society
People are in control of their own destinys

Question 15

Who came up with the theory of the social self?

Answer 15

George Herbert Mead (1863-1931)

Question 16

what is the theory of the social self?

Answer 16

human experience, thought and action are social bc humans interact on the basis of symbols
he saw the self as active and dynamic
the individual self is incoherently social, it emerged through action and interaction with others

Question 17

what is versthen?

Answer 17

viewing things from somebody else’s standpoint

Question 18

verstehen and empathy

Answer 18

by utilising verstehen sociologists can build an understanding that empathises with how people in society behave

Question 19

what is ethnographic research?

Answer 19

qualitative method used to study and document culture, behaviour, beliefs and social interactions of a group of people over time
with little disruption to their natural setting

Question 20

what is reflexivity?

Answer 20

when a researcher often reflects on the extent that they themselves are impacting the research
researcher is self critical

Question 21

what is representativeness?

Answer 21

when the sample represents the characteristics that match the wider sample population

Question 22

what is generalisability?

Answer 22

the degree to which you can apply the results of your study to a broader context

Question 23

what is a gate keeper?

Answer 23

a person that can give access to certain people you would like to study

Question 24

what is stratified sampling?

Answer 24

probability sampling that provides method for dividing a population into smaller frames for more accurate results

Question 25

what is non-random sampling-quota sampling?

Answer 25

deliberately targets certain subjects for the sample group

Question 26

what is random sampling?

Answer 26

when every member of the population has an equal chance of being picked

Question 27

what is systematic sampling?

Answer 27

every member of the population is listed with a number but individual are closed at equal intervals

Question 28

what is stratified sampling?

Answer 28

divides the population into sub populations based on relevant characteristics based on proportions then calculate how many people are sampled

Question 29

what is purpose sampling?

Answer 29

judgement sampling
researcher selects a sample that is most useful to the purpose of the study

Question 30

what is snowball sampling?

Answer 30

when the population is hard to access
used to recruit participants via other participants

Question 31

what is quota sampling?

Answer 31

non random
divide population into sub categories and recruit sample until you reach your quota

Question 32

what is opportunity sampling?

Question 33

what is volunteer sampling?