research methods pt 2 Flashcards
what do approaches mean for sociological research
provide frameworks or structures for sociological research, draw on one or more methods
different sociological approaches include
case studies, ethnographies, longitudinal studies and social surveys
strengths of case studies
- they collect rich and detailed data, to provide and insider view, not possible in larger sample. helps generate fresh insights and ideas
- case studies can be the basis of larger studies, useful for making questionnaires, interviews, also just a part of larger studies making them for meaningful
- case studies are important warnings against sweeping generalisations, findings can lead to modification and rejection of theories
limitations of case studies
criticised as one off instances, unrepresentative, ungeneralisable
ethnography is used to research
a group of people, community and their way of life, includes culture, structure. immerse themselves in everyday lives
use qualitative, participant observation and in depth interviews
strengths of ethnographies
mostly based on strengths of participant observation, detailed and rich
limitations of ethnographies
ethical dilemmas in covert, objectivity, observer effect related to participant observation
longitudinal studies
concerned with change, studies same group over a period of time \researcher revisits same sample at multiple points in time
usually quantitative based on questionnaires and structured interviews
eg ghs general household survey in nigeria evry 2-3 yrs to understand, living standards, education , healtyh to inform policy makers
2 types of longitudinal studies based on sample identified by
bryman
cohort-evryone in cohort shares a particular characteristic
panel- selected from a full population
ethical concerns in longitudinal studies
illness, loss unable to give informed consent, grief embarrassment talking about past issues
strengths of longitudinal studies
- provide a picture of changing trends and developments, by using same sample, it isnt just individual changes
- people not asked to recall much older things where memory may fail them therefore increasing validity
- focus on continuity, what stays the same and social chnages
limitations of longitudinal studies
- high attrition rate due to death, immigration, health, loss of interest, making it less representative and less generalisble
- few organisations can afford such a long study
- involvement in a study could cause participants to change their way of thinking and behaviour making it less valid
social surveys
systematic sample at one time collection of the same type of data over a fairly large
usually questionnaires or structured interviews
eg ndhs nepal demographic and health survey
who is auguste comte
what did he argue
19th century postivist who coined term sociology
argued that sociology should e studied like the natural sciences
who said sociology was ‘science of society’ why
auguste comte
because studying sociology like a science would reveal ‘invariable laws’ that governed evolution of human society
isisted only directky observable facts was acceptable
positive science of society
postivist assumption of behaviour
auguste comte
behaviour of matter is a reaction to external stimuli so human behaviour is reaction to external forces like socio economic structure
natural science methodology appropriate
cause and effect relationships, use of objective value free data
name positivists who saw, sociology as similar to natural sciences
auguste comte
emile durkheim
karl popper
what are ‘social facts’ who coined the term
emile durkheim
wrote a book ‘in the rules of sociological research’
most imprtnat rule was to consider social facts as things
social facts are institutions norms and values in a society
these fact are to be understood as things and treated like objects of the natural world with the same degree of objectivity
social facts can be objectively measured. quantified, subjected to stastical analysis and used for correlational studies
crtics of durkheim’s approach to research say
humans have conciouness making them fundamentally different from inanimate objects
do social facts exist outside of us
why doe she make that claim
yes durkheim claims collective ways of acting and thinking have realties outside of individuals
woth this reasoning he argues that social facts can be studied objectively as ‘external things’. thus matter reacts to stimuli and humans to social facts
who said humans react to social facts and argues its objectivity
durkheim
durkheims study of suicide highlights
suicide rates are social facts and product of social facts at the same time
statistical correlations between suicide rates and other things like religion age family situation
like protestatnts, unmarried, city dwellers more likely to succumb
believed his research proved scientific methos was more appropriate because it showed real laws are discoverable
what do interpretivists think of the natural science approach
matter lacks agency and simply reacts to stimuli, cannot be applied to humans
interpretivists that studied suicide
atkinson and jack douglas
what does atkinson say
how do deaths get categorised as suicides
atkinson crticises durkheim as does not see suicide as a social fact, but a social meaning
coroners use a commonsense theory of deciding whether the death is suicide
-suicide threats or notes
-type of death, gassing hanging
-location
-biography depression struggles
he says suicides are not objective social facts , they are construction of meaning like all other aspects of social reality
what does jack douglas say about suicide
it is not simply a meaning it has a reality
it is an act defined by the friends family, coroner
steps
1. analyse suicide notes, examine diaries, interview families, build biography
- look for meanings ‘cry for help’ suicide, self punishment,
- link with wider cultural beliefs
western out of ordinary, nomadic often left to die\
who is max weber
interpretivist who talked about social action and verstehen
what is verstehen
‘empathetic understanding’
researchers put them selves in shoes of the person they are researching
criticism of positivist interpretivist dichotomy
pawson- rather than 2 approaches whole range of approaches
examination of actual research shows most studies are mix method approaches - methodological pluralism
triangulation
cross checking the validity of research findings
multiple methods that check for consistency of validity
between 3 researches, primary and secondary data, 2 methods
positivism aims to
discover cause and effect relationships unerdyling human behaviour and applies statistical techniques
what is deductive approach
top down approach
theory
hypothesis
observation and measurement
confirmation/modification/rejection of theory
who was karl popper
philosopher of science
falsification of theories
what did karl popper say
instead of looking to confirm theories, evividemce to diprove should be looked for. even if not found shows that truth is relative just because not falsified does not mean proven. no absolute truths in science
supported application of methodology of natural science in social science
grounded theory
bottom up approach
inductive approach
data
analysis
pattern connection theory
durkheim supported this
who was thomas kuhn
normal science
what is normal science
vast majority of science
most scientists are preoccupied with normal science and normal science operates within a paradigm. a paradigm is a framework of concepts and theories which states how the natural world operates. a paradigm is shared by a scientific community.
normal science operates within the paradigm refining and developing it but not challenging it
he says scientists are so committed to the paradigm that they don’t attempt to falsify it
scientific revolution according to kuhn
when one paradigm replaces another. sudden and revolutionary. like replacement of newtons paradigm with einsteins.
kuhns view of sociology
sociology is preparadigmatic and therefore pre scientific.
and there are a range of sociological perspectives but scant indication that they would be acceptable to a single community.
criticism of normal science
imre lakatos rejects it saying development of science in history as competing paradigms. a lakatos view then sociology does not disquality from being a science
realist view of science
accepts basic differences between natural and social worlds but maintains that a social science is possible. argues that in both the worlds there exist underlying structures and mechanisms.
according to roy bhaskar, task of realism is to uncover these structures.
name a realist approach to science
roy bhaskar
who is andrew sayer
open and closed systems
what is open and closed systems
he distinguishes them as arenas of study. lab closed so variables controlled and conditions fixed, natural sciences hv advantage. but stuff like meteorology, is open and weather not accurate predicted, evolution cannot be predicted because its in the open and even human behaviour is in the open and cannot be predicted
interpretivism and natural science
starts from the biew that natural sciences and social sciences are fundamentally different.
argues matter is inanimate and humans have agency and human actions are driven by meaning. and sociologists job is to discover meanings thru participantob/ interview/ etc
and objectivity is not possible because discovery of meanings cannot be value free.
role of values, objectivity and subjectivity
objectivity involves value freedom, impartiality, and lack of bias.
alvin gouldner said value free sociology is a myth.
howard becker shares this view and says no research can be unbaised. he says the world can be divided into the powerful and powerless and we cannot avoid taking sides and he sides with the powerless underdogs.
solution to increase objectivity
becker
we must not misuse the tools and techniques of our discipline . not ask leading questions, gaurd against personal and political sentiments.
cillford geetrz points out the you cannot just give up on objectivity, like just because an completely aseptic enviroment is impossible doesnt mean you conduct a surgery in a sewer
postmodernist view of objectivity
objectivity is a myth, research findings are constracutions to persuade and give the impression of rational analytical thinking. extreme version of relativism where all knowledge is relative to time place culture and individual. postmoderninst reject the idea that valid knowledge is possible, they reject meta narratives and focus on comparing these narratives rather showing truth or facts
feminist politics in research
feminists argue that the separation of womens struggle against patriarchy is impossible. they argue that malestream sociology is saturated with assumptioms of male dominance and a feminist alt required. feminists should not be neutral but positively identitfy with women. emphasise on the importance of reflexivity reflecting crtically on a research.
name the feminist that talked about male stream sociology and feminist politics
maria mies
