Research methods in context KEY STUDIES Flashcards
Harvey and statin (lab experiments)
- Used photos of children from different social classes and
- asked teachers to rate their likely performance in education.= Pupils from higher classes were seen as more likely to be successful than pupils from lower classes suggesting that labelling on the basis of appearance does take place.
Harvey Stain (practical concerns)
- Difficult to gain permission for out of classroom lab experiments with younger children- these experiments are usually restricted to teachers and older children so samples are limited.
Harvey Stain (ethical concerns)
- Around the difficulty in gaining informed consent and the need for deception.
Harvey Stain (theoretical issues)
As the setting is artifical it an be argued that these experiments lack validity (truthfulness)
Field experiements
experiments conducted in natural settings rather than in the laboratory
Lab experiments
causal research designs that are conducted in an artificial setting
Rosenthal and Jacobson
Researchers misled teachers into believing that certain students had higher IQs. Teachers changed own behaviors and effectively raised the IQ of the randomly chosen students. Those students made greater progress than those not selecting. (field)
Rosenthal and Jacobson (practical issues)
more practical than lab experiments but permission may still be very difficult to obtain from schools, teachers and parents (for pupils under 18)
Rosenthal and Jacobson (theoretical issues)
The dominance and Impact of peer groups may influence the answers pupils give, difficult to prevent discussion amongst pupils and so they may collaborate on their responses,
= both these issues have impacts upon the validity of the data collected.
Labov (1973) - interviews
When using formal interview technique to study Lang of black American children, appeared to be tongue-tied and ‘linguistically deprived’, however when adopting more relaxed, informal style - interviewer sitting on the floor and children allowed to have friends present - they opened up and spoke freely, showing they were competent speakers (unstructured favourable) = careful interview design is crucial to get valid results
Labov practical issues
interviews in school require consent from head teachers and parents and parents which may limit access.
- those in authority may wish to limit the questions asked due to the potentially damaging to the school reputation due to issues they may raise.
- Interviews also have to have CRB check which takes time.
- Interview questions have to be carefully worded to avoid being misleading and enure that they use wording they fully understand
Labov ethical issues
Interviews with children have to be carefully designed to ensure that they don’t cause distress,
- this limits the researcher as they must avoid potentially sensitive issues
- confidentalioty needs to be assured, although if the interview reveals evidence of abuse interviewers have a duty to report it which compromises confidentality.
Labov theoretical issues
- As revealed by the Labov study, the validity of the interview responses may be affected by+ – way in which the interview is conducted
- interviewer bias
could see the interviewer as an authority figure and therefore be unwilling to give full and frank answers
Willis: Learning to Labour (group interview)
used a combo. of qualitative (ethnography) to study the counter culture of 12 working class boys 'the lads'. - Noted similarities between anti-school subculture of the lads and the shopfloor culture of male manual workers, the lads saw manual work as masculine and intellectual as feminine. Willis concluded this anti-school subculture helped them to slot into working class jobs.
Willis practical issues
If conducted with school or workplace permission of authority figures and parents is required, this is not always possible.
