Research Methods Flashcards
Who are positivists and what do they value?
- See sociology as a science existing of social facts which exercise control over individuals - we have no freewill and are controlled by structures
- Functionalists, Marxists,
- Will use quantitative methods as they value objective data with which you can identify trends and patterns
Who are interpretivists and what do they value?
- See individuals as having a conscious and freewill - not puppets reacting to social control
- Interactionalists, Subcultural Theorists, Feminists
- Will use qualitative methods as they value depth and verstehen in their findings to gain understanding of individuals motivations and intentions
What is sampling?
Sampling = a collection of a population that you are researching who are typical of the rest of the population
Sampling frame = List of people who will be included in study
What is and are the pros and cons of random sampling?
Random Sampling = Completely random, everyone has equal chance of selection
Strength = equal chance of selection prevents researcher bias
Weakness = May not be representative in practice, may need access to external resources
e.g. OFSTED
What is and are the pros and cons of systematic sampling?
Systematic sampling = every nth person from sampling frame is selected until desired sample size is reached
Strength = no researcher bias
Weakness = may not be representative, time consuming, need access to external resources, may produce a small sample
e.g. Willmott and Young ‘Symmetrical Family’ selected every 36th person on the electoral register
What is and are the pros and cons stratified sampling?
Stratified sampling = sampling frame is subdivided into smaller frames representative of general population. PPs are then randomly selected from each group
Strength = representative, no researcher bias
Weakness = time consuming, requires math skills, need a lot of info on sampling frame
e.g. ‘Pygmalion in the Classroom’ Rosenthal and Jacobson chose 18 classes then chose 20% of students at random to be the ‘spurters’
What is and are the pros and cons of quota sampling?
Quota sampling = predetermined number of people with each particular characteristic are established, once quota is filled no more PPs in that category are studied
Strengths = doesn’t require skill, inclusive
Weaknesses = unrepresentative of general population, researcher bias, time consuming
e.g. Oakley’s ‘Sociology of Housework’ interviewed 40 London housewives
What is and are the pros and cons of snowball sampling?
Snowball sampling = researcher identifies 1/2 people to take part and gets them to introduce them to others who are willing to take part
Strength = time efficient, more ethical - trust is gained
Weakness = unrepresentative, can’t create sampling frame
e.g. James Patrick’s ‘Glasgow Gangs’
What is and are the pros and cons of opportunity sampling?
Opportunity sampling = selecting people are easily contactable
Strength = time efficient, easy access
Weakness = unrepresentative, bias
e.g. Bushman’s study of situational factors affecting obedience
What is and are the pros and cons of theoretical sampling?
Theoretical sampling = sociologist’s position decides what’s important in sampling group e.g. Feminist study women
Strength = suited to aims, researcher will have the necessary skills
Weakness = bias, unrepresentative
e.g. Oakley - study of childbirth
What are the PET strengths of lab experiments?
PRACTICAL: Access - take place in researcher’s laboratory e.g. Milgram, Bandura, Zimbardo’s Stanford prison experiment in University basement
ETHICAL: Consent, right to withdraw
THEORETICAL: Reliable - Asch’s study on conformity has been repeated by many other sociologists
What are the PET weaknesses of lab experiments?
PRACTICAL: Time, cost - typically require incentive to take part e.g. Zimbardo Stanford Prison = $16 dollar a day
ETHICAL: Harm - Milgram’s ‘Obedience’ study 3 PPs had seizures due to stress, many struggled with guilt after the study, often involve deception - Milgram, RTW may be violated e.g. Zimbardo
THEORETICAL: Hawthorne Effect decreases validity - Mayo found that PPs would work harder (output increased) regardless of lighting, heating, rest breaks - just wanted to please Mayo
What are the PET strengths of field experiments?
PRACTICAL: Cheaper - natural setting provides all resources e.g. Keizer went to existing dirty and clean streets - only cost was the money in the envelope but this is more to do with what he was tetsing than the nature of field experiments
ETHICAL: Confidentiality e.g. we don’t know what school Rosenthal and Jacobson studied
THEORETICAL: Validity - no observers effect e.g. Rosenham’s Pseudo Patient study the nurses assumed their researcher’s records were symptoms of schizophrenia
What are the PET weaknesses of field experiments?
PRACTICAL: Access - gatekeepers e.g. Pygmalion had to gain access from headteacher
ETHICAL: Deception - Rosenham told asylums he’ll send some pseudo patients in second study - sent none, Griffin’s ‘Black Like Me’ study hinged on deceiving people into believing he was a black man
THEORETICAL: Unreliable - impacted by extraneous factors - Rosenthall and Jacobson left the students for a year, Bushman couldn’t control for other reasons why people may ignore/obey his requests e.g. personality type, how busy they were
What are the PET strengths of questionnaires?
PRACTICAL: Access - Connor and Dewson posted 40,000 questionnaires in 14 different unis, can overcome low response rate with follow up calls helps raise response rate - Edwards
ETHICAL: Consent, right to withdraw e.g. telephone questionnaires can ask them to stop
THEORETICAL: Reliable e.g.Census done every 10 years
