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Sociology AS AQA > Sociological methods > Flashcards

Sociological methods Flashcards

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Sociology 101 flashcards
0
Q

Where do sociologists get data from?

A
  1. Primary - 1st hand research eg interviews

2. Secondary - eg stats

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1
Q

What are the three aims that sociologists have when collecting and using data?

A
  1. Validity and reliability (reproducible)
  2. Representative (generalisable)
  3. Objective and unbiased
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2
Q

What are the two types of data?

A
  1. Quantitative - numbers and stats

2. Qualitative - opinions, meanings, interpretations

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3
Q

What type of methods do positivists use?

A

Reliable methods that give quantitative data

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4
Q

What do positivists behaviour is influenced by?

A

External social factors

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5
Q

How do positivists view sociology?

A

It should be scientific and analyse social facts

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6
Q

What sources do positivists use?

A

Questionnaires and official stats which are objective and reliable

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7
Q

What methods do interpretivists use?

A

They use valid methods that give qualitative data

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8
Q

How do interpretivists understand human behaviour?

A

Through empathy by putting yourself in other people’s shoes

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9
Q

What criticism do interpretivists have of positivists?

A

Sociology isn’t scientific because humans can’t be measured

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10
Q

What methods do interpretativists use to collect qualitative data?

A

Participant observations and unstructured interviews

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11
Q

What is Max Weber’s concept of ‘Verstehen’?

A

It’s important to use empathy to get inside a person’s head to figure out why they’re doing what they’re doing

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12
Q

What is macrosociology?

A

Looking at the institutions of society (used by positivists)

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13
Q

What is microsociology?

A

Looking at the individual (interpretivists)

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14
Q

What does theoretical background affect?

A

Your choice of method

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15
Q

How does Positivism explain behaviour?

A

Behaviour is determined by social forces beyond people’s control

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16
Q

How does Interpretivism explain behaviour?

A

People make sense of social situations during human interaction

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17
Q

What do positivist say the aim of sociology is?

A

It should discover what causes what

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18
Q

What do Interpretivists say the aim of sociology is?

A

It should describe and explain how people make sense of situations using empathy

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19
Q

What research methods do Positivists use?

A

Questionnaires and structured interviews that give quantitative data and they’re reliable and objective

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20
Q

What research methods do Interpretivists use?

A

Observations and unstructured interviews giving qualitative data and a more valid insight into society

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21
Q

What four ethical factors affect choice of method?

A

Consent, confidentiality, avoidance of harm and avoidance of deception

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22
Q

With a sensitive issue what research method is the researcher likely to use?

A

Informative/unstructured interviews to put the person at ease

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23
Q

What practical factors affect choice of method?

A

Time–Money–Characteristics of skill–Access to opportunity

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24
Q

What are three factors to consider when choosing a topic for research?

A

Topic based on their own preference and knowledge.
Funding and cooperation for research.
The researchers career in sociology.
Reviewing methodology in previous studies.

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25
Q

What does OPERATIONALISE mean?

A

Making a concept workable and finding a way to measure it.

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26
Q

What is triangulation?

A

Combining methods of data to get a more detailed picture, putting together the strenghts of each type of data

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27
Q

What is a sample?

A

A group of the population that are representative.

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28
Q

What does it mean if the population is homogenous?

A

They are all the same

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29
Q

What does it mean if the population is heterogeneous?

A

The population is all different

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30
Q

What is a simple random sample?

A

Picking names randomly and everyone has an equal chance of being selected?

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31
Q

What is a stratified sample?

A

Dividing the population into groups and make a random selection with the right proportions

32
Q

What is a snowball sample?

A

Finding an initial contact and getting them to give you more names

33
Q

What is a Quota sample?

A

It is picking people who fit into a certain category

34
Q

What is a pilot study?

A

Small scale practice run to check and see the technical problems in your research design

35
Q

What is a social survey?

A

It a survey that collects information about a large population using standardised questionnaires or structured interviews

36
Q

What are the strengths of a longitudinal survey?

A
  1. You can analyse change and make comparisons over time

2. You can study how the attitudes of the sample change with time.

37
Q

What are the limitations of longitudinal studies?

A
  1. Hard to recruit committed sample
  2. Hard to keep contact (reduces validity)
  3. Long-term funding needed to keep research team together
  4. Reliant on interviews & questionnaires (may not be valid or reliable)
38
Q

What kind of data do questionnaires mostly give?

A

Quantitative

39
Q

What kind of questions do questionnaires mostly use?

A

Closed questions, multiple-choice answers

40
Q

What aspect of data do standardised questions increase?

A

Reliability

41
Q

What kind of data do open-ended questions give you?

A

Qualitative

42
Q

What 5 things should questionnaires do?

A
  1. Clear simple questions
  2. Clear instructions
  3. Clear layout
  4. Range of options
  5. Measure what you want to measure
43
Q

What should questionnaires not do?

A
  1. Ask embarrassing, threatening or complex questions
  2. Ask two questions instead of one
  3. Be too long
  4. Use jargon
  5. Lead the respondent to answer in a particular way
44
Q

What are 5 strengths of questionnaires?

A
  1. Quick, cheap and far-reaching
  2. Reliable (standardised)
  3. Analysable with computers
  4. No interviewer effect
  5. Spot patterns and make comparisons
45
Q

What are 5 limitations of questionnaires?

A
  1. Lying
  2. Ambiguous questions
  3. Low response rate to postal (unrepresentative)
  4. Open-ended qs can’t be quantified
  5. No one to explain
46
Q

Give some examples of topics questionnaires can be used for

A

TV viewing habits, purchasing habits, voting behaviour, experiences of crime

47
Q

What is the British Crime Survey?

A

A continual government survey of 50,000 a year with annual published results

48
Q

What is the British Social Attitudes Survey?

A

An annual survey of 3300 adults (random) carried out by the National Centre for Social Research

49
Q

Who are the two participants in an interview?

A

A researcher and a responder

50
Q

What are the 5 elements involved in preparing an interview?

A
  1. Pick sample
  2. Organise interview
  3. Select/train interviewers
  4. Ask questions
  5. Record answers
51
Q

What can get in the way at each stage of preparing and conducting an interview?

A

Bias

52
Q

What is an interview effect?

A

When a response is given which isn’t what the interviewee really thinks

53
Q

What can an interview effect be caused by?

A

The gender, age, class, personality or opinions of the interviewer

54
Q

What kind of data are produced by structured interviews?

A

Quantitative

55
Q

What kind of data are produced by unstructured interviews?

A

Qualitative

56
Q

Give 7 characteristics of structured interviews

A
  1. Standardised, multiple-choice questions
  2. Quantitative and reliable
  3. Large-scale surveys
  4. Interview can explain
  5. Higher response rate than questionnaire
  6. More expensive (pay for interviewers)
  7. Interviewer has to follow list
57
Q

Give 7 characteristics of unstructured interviews

A
  1. Informal
  2. Good for sensitive issues
  3. Open-ended and qualitative
  4. Skilled interviewer needed
  5. Smaller samples (unrepresentative)
  6. Lots of interviewer effects
  7. Long time to write up
58
Q

What does ethnography study?

A

The way of life of a group

59
Q

Ethnography is based on small-scale fieldwork so tends to yield what kind of data?

A

Qualitative

60
Q

What makes ethnographical research valid?

A

It’s done in a natural setting

61
Q

Name two methods you can use to get primary data in ethnography

A
  1. Unstructured interviews

2. Observation of community

62
Q

What are case studies?

A

In-depth studies of particular events like demonstrations

63
Q

What is time budgeting, and is it quantitative or qualitative?

A

Asking people to keep a detailed diary of their activities during a specific time. Quantitative and qualitative

64
Q

What kind of data are diaries and letters?

A

Secondary

65
Q

What is a limitation of small-scale research?

A

Hard to make generalisations

66
Q

What is observation?

A

Watching behaviour in real-life settings

67
Q

In what kind of observation does the researcher not tell the group they are being observed?

A

Covert

68
Q

When do the British Sociological Association advise that covert observation should be used?

A

When there’s no other way

69
Q

Name the sociologist and year for the covert observation into the National Front

A

Fielding (1993)

70
Q

What kind of observation is when a group is aware of the research and the researcher?

A

Overt

71
Q

Name the sociologist and year for the overt observation of female sexuality among college students

A

Skeggs (1991)

72
Q

What kind of observation is when the researcher actively involves themselves in the group?

A

Participant

73
Q

What kind of observation is when the researcher observes but isn’t part of a group?

A

Non-participant

74
Q

Which ‘school’ of sociologists prefer observation and why?

A

Interpretivists, because they can get to the action

75
Q

What are 4 positives of participant observation?

A
  1. Gets the researcher to the action
  2. Allows research of deviant groups
  3. First-hand insight in real-life settings
  4. If covert, people can’t mislead researcher
76
Q

What are 7 negatives of participant observation?

A
  1. Over-involvement
  2. Over research may influence behaviour
  3. Covert observation may lead to illegal acts
  4. Lack of repeatability and reliability
  5. Ethnical and practical problems for getting in and out
  6. Small groups - unrepresentative
  7. Hard work, time-consuming, expensive
77
Q

What is the main advantage of non-participant observation?

A

Objectivity

78
Q

What are 3 disadvantages of non-participant observation?

A
  1. Stops you getting to the action
  2. Overt research may influence behaviour
  3. Covert research needs to be very inconspicuous

Sociology AS AQA (1 decks)

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