Research methods + MIC Flashcards
Experiment types (2)
Lab + Field
Laboratory experiments + -
Controlled environment,
+see cause and effect relationship
+high degree of control, removes extraneous variables
+the same procedure means you can repeat it.
- not true to real life; low ecological validity
- can’t control all variables, e.g caffine, mood, sleep etc
Field experiments + -
-Less controlled environment, confounding variables etc
-Less replicable; cant replicate validly real life
+More natural and realistic behaviours recorded, ecological validity
+Less demand characteristics, less likely to know they are in an experiment.
-Lack of consent in covert field experiments / deception
Comparative methods:
Looks at pre-existing data and makes assumptions based off of it. Looks at patterns.
Pros =
+More ethical as you are not manipulating peoples experiences.
+Easy, quick, cheap on a practical level as all the info is already out there.
Con =
-There may be issues with the data.
Types of interviews
Structured interviews - Set of identical questions asked in exactly the same way. Interview schedule. Usually closed questions. POSITIVISTS
Unstructured - No pre-planned schedule, more like conversation. INTERPRETIVISTS
Semi-structured - An interview schedule which is adapted dependant on the responses from the interviewee.
Group interviews
Pros and Cons of interview types
Structured -
+More reliable
+Easier to compare answers
+Quicker to conduct as structured
+Little training required of an interviewer to read structured questions
- More preparation
-Less likely to build a rapport
-Unable to explain areas of interest
-P’s can not understand questions which cannot be elaborated. Lack of depth
Unstructured -
+Able to build repport and people therefore more likely to open up and answer honestly (increase validity)
+Less preparation
+Freedom to explore areas of interest
+Allows for elaboration
-Time consuming
-Can’t compare answers
-Unreliable
Group interviews -
+ Can explain the meaning of questions unlike in a questionnaire
+Face to face contact therefore can see interactions and body language
+ Provide some quality controls on data collection
-Social desirability; people might feel intimidated by others, feel they can’t express themselves.
Sampling types (4)
Random sampling; where every participant has an equal chance of being picked, this removes bias.
Systematic sampling; The researcher brings in an element of structure into a random sample. Picking every nth person.
Stratified sampling; First breaks down the population by key characteristics E.g. age, gender. And then created in the same proportions.
Quota sampling; population is stratified but then a quota is applied. E.g. 20 females, 10 females or are over 60.
Snowball sampling; This is where one member of the sample put the researchers in touch with others.
Observation, Non-Participant Covert + Overt observations
Non-Participant covert + overt:
-Deception; involved spying on people without their knowledge or consent (covert)
+it is much quicker and simpler to do non-participant observation than participant, and more representative sample, so firmer generalisations can be made.
-The group may not act naturally
+Researchers may not have to spend a lot of time observing.
-The hawthorn affect and interview effect, which could lead to data being invalid
Positivists about non-participant observation:
-Pre-coded observational categories allow the sociologist to produce quantitative data, identify and measure behaviour patterns and establish the cause-and-effect relationships
Interpretivists about non-participant observation:
-It imposes the researchers view of reality and risks producing invalid data.
The researcher is more likely to impose his/her own subjective interpretations on events they witness.
Secondary sources
Official statistics - Quantitative data gathered by Gov or other official bodies. These might be through survey such as the census.
+ Free source of huge amount of data
+ Stats allow comparisons between groups; usually quantitative.
+ Shows patterns and trends over time; good for before and after comparisons to see cause and effect.
-Gov collects information for its own uses not for sociologists, so there may be non available on the topic of interest.
-If definitions change over time so it can be difficult to make comparisons. For example the official definition of unemployment
Positivists on secondary statistics
-Durkheim see stats as valuable source, they are reliable, consistent, quantitative, objective measures.
-See sociology as a science and develop hypothesis, cause effect and patterns.
Interpretivists on secondary statistics
They lack validity, stats are socially constructed. They represent lables given to peoples behaviours.
Questionnaires
+ Quick and cheap means of gathering large quantities of data.
+There is no need to recruit and train interviewers or observe to collect the data.
+The data is usually easy to quantify specially where closed questions are used, and can be processed quickly by computer to see patterns.
+ Reliable, detached.
Positivists + Questionnaires
+ Love it because its reliable, see trends and patterns, cause and effect, quantitative, test hypothesis and correlations.
-Ethical issues; have a right to withdraw consent my replying, they can see questions so not deceptive.
- Data can be limited due to participants maybe not wanting to put all their info in.
