Practical, Ethical and Theoretical Factors

Question 1

Practical Factors

Answer 1

Time
Cost
Subject matter (only some methods will practically reveal anything)
Personal characteristics
Hardship/Danger
Recording data

Question 2

Ethical Factors

Answer 2

Informed Consent
Deception
Privacy
Confidentiality
Harm
Guilty Knowledge

Question 3

Theoretical Factors

Answer 3

Validity
Reliability
Representativeness
Positivism
Interpretivism

Question 4

What do Positivists believe (T) ?

Answer 4

Believe society is bigger than the individual and influences what they do

Believe sociology should be studied like natural sciences in a non-biased objective way to establish social facts

Use scientific methods

Look for relationships/correlations

Question 5

What do Interpretivists believe (T) ?

Answer 5

Believe individuals create society and it is important to study the interactions between members in society and the meanings

Say it is impossible for it to be studied like a natural science as unlinke rocks, metals, animals we have emotions and consciousness

Question 6

Example of positivist research

Answer 6

Durkheim studied suicide in a positivist way ashe looked at official stats on suicide rates in different countries and social groups. He found married people without children were more likely to commit suicide than married people with children and single people committed suicide more than married people. He drew conclusions and said it was due to social isolation

Question 7

Example of interpretivist research

Answer 7

Atkinson studied suicide in an interpretivist way. He said suicide was a meaning that is attached to certain people’s deaths. Atkinson interviewed coroners have a picture of a typical suicide and typical suicide victim eg road deaths are rarely classified as suicide but hanging or overdose are more likely to be seen as suicide