Social Science Research Methods Flashcards
Definition of hypothetico-deductive approach
Scientific statements in the form of hypotheses and theories get tested and refuted
Definition of induction
Scientific statements that arise from observations which is generalised to form a hypothesis
Definition of deduction
Testing hypotheses generated by induction
Definition of primary data
Information gathered through original/1st hand research via questionnaires and surveys
Definition of secondary data
Information gathered by someone else in the past
Definition of empirical generalisation
Findings found in a sample population are generalised to the whole target population
Definition of conceptual generalisation
Empirical findings that can be generalized to identify a pattern
Does not apply to everyone
Definition of sensitising concepts
A generalisation that doesn’t apply to everyone but sensitises clinician to the possibility that this finding may apply to some patients
What are the 2 ways of generating new knowledge
Describe them
Induction
-scientific statements are made from the findings of specific observations
Hypothetico-deductive
-scientific statements in the form of hypotheses and theories that get tested and refuted
What are the pros and cons of RCTs
Pros
-Provides the strongest evidence on efficacy
Cons
- Mechanism of action unknown
- Not always effective
- Not everything can be randomized ethically
- Hard to separate single causal effects in complex intervention
Why is the method of induction used in social science research
Research questions generally focus on
- reasons
- mechanisms
- contexts instead of the causes
Natural objects don’t react when observed but humans change their behaviour when observed
What is the Hawthorn effect
Workers in a factory increased productivity because they were being observed, not because of the changes in factory conditions
What are the 2 types of data used in social science
Quantitative
-use nos to describe the patterning of demographics, knowledge and beliefs to be studied
Qualitative
-use words collected through interviews with respondents/via observation
What are the 2 types of quantitative data
Primary
-Data collected yourself via questionnaires
Secondary
-Data collected by others in official records (census, hospital and admin records)
When is secondary quantitative data often used
Social epidemiology
Disease distribution affected by social factors
When is primary quantitative data often used
Biomedical indicators and diagnostic labels do not accurately capture the patient experience
-PROMS assess effects of disease and treatment on QOL
When would you use qualitative methods
When you want to understand what is going on
- exploring a new area where little is known
- generating new hypotheses
- understanding patient perspectives
- understanding processes of change
When would you not use qualitative methods
- When you want to answer questions on causation
- When quantification needed
How would you go about generating qualitative data
Interviews with open questions
Interviews are recorded and transcribed and analysed for common themes
Allows for generation of new hypotheses which can be tested with the hypothetico-deductive method
What kind of generalisations can you get in quantitative data
Empirical
-findings in sample applied to population
What kind of generalisations can you get in qualitative data
Conceptual and sensitising concepts
-identify concepts that may be generalised to some people
