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Sociology > Research Methods > Flashcards

Research Methods Flashcards

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Sociology 101 flashcards
1
Q

Positivist approach
What type
What methods do they use
Type of data

A

Top down approach- structure of society influences individuals behaviour
Hypothetico-deductive process
Questionnaires - closed question
Quantitative data

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2
Q

What positivist assume

A

Believe society is more important to study as that influences individual behaviour shaped by social forces (Durkheim = social facts)
Society can be studied in the same way natural sciences are studied
People’s behaviour can be observed, counted and measured

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3
Q

Patterns and trends

A

People behaving in similar ways and the behaviour can be seen and catalogued

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4
Q

Objectivity

A

Research should not be bias but factual - not opinion led

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5
Q

Reliability

A

Research is consistent and replicable

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6
Q

Value freedom

A

Ability of the researcher to keep their own values, political preference and religious views from interfering with the research process

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7
Q

Quantitative data

A

Numerical data not words or phrases

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8
Q

Representative

A

Has characteristics that are typical of the larger population being studied

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9
Q

Generalisability

A

If research findings can be applied to settings other than the ones it was originally tested in

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10
Q

Evaluation

Pros of positivists

A

> Quantitative data makes it more reliable, easy to compare and spot patterns and trends
Replicable
no bias as it is objective so it increases validity
large scale methods so representative and generalised

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11
Q

Evaluation

Cons of positivists

A

> Ignores subjective experiences of people as there is less detail - decreasing validity
too narrow mindset and straightforward
lacks rapport and verstehen ( don’t understand how participants feel)

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12
Q

Rapport

A

A close and harmonious relationship where you understand each other’s feelings and communicate well

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13
Q

Verstehen

A

Empathic understanding of human behaviour

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14
Q

Meanings and experiences

A

Giving labels to things

Events that impact our lives

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15
Q

Validity

A

The quality of being accurate

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16
Q

Subjectivity

A

Influence of personal views

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17
Q

Imposition bias

A

Personal interference

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18
Q

Reflexivity

A

Form of self evaluation in the way of diaries (eg to document all stages of research)

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19
Q

Interpretivists

A

Bottom up approach - individuals give labels to things which influences society
Qualitative data
Less scientific

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20
Q

Interpretivists assumptions

A

Human beings cannot be treated like objects
People have free will
Interaction with people give meaning to their own behaviour
Can interpret what is going on

21
Q

Evaluation

Pros of interpretivists

A

Increase in verhesten as it considered emotions which increases validity
High rapport increase validity as more likely to have honesty in an answer

22
Q

Evaluation of interpretivists

Cons

A

Hard to replicate
Lacks objectivity - decreasing reliability as some may interpret it differently & increase in bias due to no value freedom
Less generalisable as they believe that everyone is individual
Small scale less representative

23
Q 
Hypothetico deductive process 
Stage 1 (Positivists)
A 
Background reading + personal experience - theory 
Hypothesis formation 
Study 
Data collection 
Analysis of data using stats
Accept or reject hypothesis 
Theory confirmation
24
Q

Is the hypothetical deductive process bias? or reliable ?

A

May have imposition bias - already have an idea of what they are looking for
Replicable can be more consistent and its factual

25
Q

Grounded theory

Interpretivists

A

Coding - categorising and describing the details of the categories ~ there is open and selective
Memoing - process for recording thoughts and ideas
Integrative diagrams - used to pull all of the detail together

26
Q

Is the grounded theory bias? or reliable ?

A

Experimenter bias - can unfounded the answer through facial expressions and body language
Less reliable as it is often long so society may change
Reliable as they au find consistency across the years

27
Q

Pilot study

A

A small scale premliminary study conducted in order to evaluate feasibility , cost, time

28
Q

Operationalisation

A

Defining key terms and concepts - need to define variables that facilitate accurate replication of research process

29
Q

Evaluation of pilot studies

Advantages

A

Can make sure study’s accurate increase validity

Can use the results if findings are the same as it will increase reliability as the results are consistent

30
Q

Evaluation of pilot studies

Cons

A

It is expensive

May be a waste of time if there are no significant results

31
Q

Ethics

A

Set of principles of right conduct

32
Q

Ethical guidelines in sociology

A 
Informed consent 
Anonymity and privacy assured 
Confidentiality 
Participant and researcher safety 
Right to withdraw
33
Q

Primary data

A

Data that can be collected by the sociologist themself

34
Q

Secondary data

A

Data that already exists , collected by other sociologists not for the purpose of your investigations

35
Q

Evaluation of primary data

A

✔️ collected for your research purpose = increased validity
✔️ better control over research process = ethical or valid
✖️time consuming
✖️researcher bias , Hawthorne effect

36
Q

Evaluation for secondary data

A

✔️less time consuming, easy to find
✔️allows you to examine and compare sets of data for reliability
✖️data might not be valid or ethical - unfalsifiable
✖️not for you specific purpose
✖️a lot of data to analyse

37
Q

Sampling frame

A

A list of most of the people in the target population

Eg registers

38
Q

Random sampling techniques

A

Simple
Stratified
Systematic
Cluster

39
Q

Non random sampling

A

Quota
Snowball
Volunteer
Opportunity

40
Q

Gatekeeper

A

Someone who has the power to to let a sociologist have access to the sample

41
Q

Simple random sampling

A

Every person has an equal chance of being selected usually done by computer

42
Q

Systematic (random) sampling

A

Every nth name / unit

43
Q

Stratified (random) sampling

A

Dividing the population according to the numbers of the social characteristics randomly selecting within those groups (proportional selection)

44
Q

Cluster (random)sampling

A

Taking a random sample at various stages of the sampling process

45
Q

Quota (non random) sampling

A

Sociologists malting a decision about the numbers of people they want from certain social characteristics and then selecting them personally

46
Q

Snowball (non random) sampling

A

Sociologists Finding one person they’re interested in asking them if they know anyone else who would be willing to take part

47
Q

Volunteer (non random) sampling

A

This involves a sociologist using volunteers for a study usually through responses to an advert

48
Q

Opportunity (non random) sampling

A

Where anyone available I’m the right place at the right time is used to participate

Sociology (11 decks)

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