QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS Flashcards
Quantitative research methods are favoured by positivists because they are objective and numerical, which means data can be cross-examined to generate cause and effect relationships, and generalisations can be made. Quantitative research methods include laboratory experiments, field experiments, questionnaires, structured interviews and official statistics
LAB EXPERIMENT
(PRIMARY RESEARCH METHOD)
Favoured by positivists, lab experiments test hypothesise in a controlled environment where the researcher changes the independent variable and measures the effect on the dependent variable
ADVANTAGES:
HIGHLY RELIABLE - the original experiment can specify precisely what steps were followed in the original experiments
Can easily IDENTIFY CAUSE and EFFECT relationships
DISADVANTAGES:
HAWTHORNE EFFECT - a lab is not a formal or natural environment - If people know they are being studied, they may act differently.
ETHICAL ISSUE obtaining INFORMED CONSENT may be difficult and sometimes EXPLAINING the aim of the experiment is SELF-DEFEATING.
UNREPRESENTATIVE: the SMALL-SCALE nature of lab experiments reduces their representativeness. LACK of EXTERNAL VALIDITY due to HIGH LEVEL of CONTROL.
FIELD EXPERIMENT
(PRIMARY RESEARCH METHOD)
take place in Pps NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, whereby the sociologist either creates a situation or adapts a real-life situation to their research purpose. Those involved are usually unaware of the research taking place.
ADVANTAGES:
HIGHER ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY and MUNDANE REALISM, due to LESS ARTIFICIALITY.
VALIDITY - people are UNAWARE of the experimental situation (no Hawthorne effect) and are in their usual social environment, they will act normally
DISADVANTAGES:
LESS control of EXTRANEOUS VARIABLES than LAB EXPERIMENTS
ETHICAL ISSUES - involves carrying out an experiment on people without their informed consent
QUESTIONNAIRES
(PRIMARY RESEARCH METHOD)
Favoured by positivists, written or self-completed questionnaires are a form of social survey and can be distributed in a range of ways - notably, via post, email or handed out in person. Questionnaires are typically a list of pre-set questions that are closed-end questions with pre-coded answers
ADVANTAGES:
Practical - questionnaires are cheap and quick.
Quantifiable data.
Representative - reach a geographically widespread research sample.
Reliable - the questionnaire can be easily repeated due to how the questions are pre-set.
Limited ethical issues - the respondent is under no obligation to answer the question
DISADVANTAGES:
RESPONSE RATE - postal questionnaires in particular obtain a low response rate, which may hinder the representativity.
LOW VALIDITY - People may be more willing to lie (give DESIRABLE answers)
UNRESPRESENTATITVE - You are likely to get a certain group of people who would be more willing to answer the questionnaire.
The INTERVIEWER ISN’T THERE to ask follow up questions and explain questions the participants if they don’t understand
STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS
(PRIMARY RESEARCH METHOD)
The positivist favoured method of structured interviews involve face-to-face or over-the-phone delivery of a questionnaire. In turn, they use a list of pre-set questions designed by the researcher and asked of all interviewees in the same way.
ADVANTAGES:
PRACTICAL - training interviewers and administration is easy and cheap.
REPRESENTATIVE - can reach a geographically wide research sample.
Results are EASILY QUANTIFIABLE because they use CLOSE-ENDED questions with CODED ANSWERS
RELIABLE - the structured process provides a ‘recipe’ for reproducibility
DISADVANTAGES:
LACK of VALIDITY: People may lie or exaggerate
OFFICIAL STATISTICS
(PRIMARY RESEARCH METHOD)
QUANTITATIVE DATA collected by government bodies. This method is favoured by POSITIVISTS because data is quick, cheap and easy to access, and it covers a wide range of social issues.
ADVANTAGES:
Practical - Cheap and easy to obtain.
PRACTICAL - easy to access.
Allow to CROSS- EXAMINE , and deduce CAUSE and EFFECT relationships.
COLLECTED at REGULAR INTERVALS, so you can COMPARE TRENDS over time.
REPRESENTATIVE - often cover large groups of people.
RELIABLE - have to be filled out by law.
DISADVANTAGES:
The GOVERNMENT collects DATA for its OWN BENEFIT, misinterpreted by sociologists.
DEFINITIONS of the STATE may be DIFFERENT to SOCIOLOGISTS. eg they DEFINE ‘HOMELESSNESSL differently. The STATE’s INTEREST may be to MAKE A PROBLEM APPEAR SMALLER by REDEFINING it.
UNRELIABLE - CENSUS CODERS may make ERRORS or OMIT information, and people may fill them out INCORRECTLY
