Second week my reading notes Flashcards
Positivist sociology:
-The study of society based on scientific observation of social behavior
Science definition:
A logical system that develops knowledge from direct systematic observation
Empirical evidence:
Info you can varify with your sense
Components of science
Concepts
Variables
Measurements
Measuring in sociology:
very complicated. Remember:
- Reliability
- Validity
- Specify
Mean, median, mode
Mean-all values together divided by number of values
Mediuan-halfway score
mode- most common score
Cause and effect
When the change in one variable(Independent) causes a change in the other(Dependant)
Spurious correlation:
When a relationship between two or more variables caused by some other variable
Interpretive Sociology:
Study which focuses on discovering the meaning people attach to their world.( they use some of the positivist approach)
Focuses of interpretive sociology:
- People understand their interpretation
- reality is subjective
- qualitative data
- Learn most by interacting with people
Critical sociology:
- Rejects that society exists as a natural system and that it is stuck as is
- study which focuses on social change
Relation between theoretical approaches and the ways to do sociology
Positivist and Structural function
interpretive and symbolic interaction
Critical and social conflict
Research methods:
- experiments
- surveys
- Participation observation
- use already existing data
The four steps of an experiment-
- State the dependant and independent variables(cause-effect)
- measure the initial value of dependent variable
- Expose the change
- measure how the change is affected
