Sociological Research Methods Flashcards
1
Q
What does sociological research methods set out to do?
A
- Gather data
- Established correlations
- Suggests, confirms or contradicts theories
2
Q
What is subjective knowledge?
A
Based on the opinion of an individual and how they see things from their point of view
3
Q
What is objective knowledge?
A
Based on characteristics of the object or thing being described and should be independent of personal experiences , opinions, wishes and biases of any individual
4
Q
What is quantitive data?
A
Knowledge taking the form of statistics such as number of marriages and divorces
5
Q
What is qualitative data?
A
Observations and descriptions of people or things in society such as people talking about their own lives
6
Q
What are the two types of sources that data can come from?
A
- Primary
2. Secondary
7
Q
What are some characteristics of primary data?
A
- Collected by the researchers themselves
- Observations, interviews, surveys
- Helps collect specific info
8
Q
What is wrong with primary data?
A
- Time consuming
- Expensive
9
Q
What are some characteristics of secondary data?
A
- Information collected by other sociologists
- Radio, internet, TV
- Documents, personal letters and diaries
10
Q
What 4 things do sociologists look at to make sure their research is to the highest quality?
A
- Reliability
- Validity
- Representativeness
- Objectivity
11
Q
What is reliability?
A
If the same research is repeated by a different sociologist it should produce the same results
Easy to repair and produce similar findings = greater reliability
12
Q
What type of study has great reliability?
A
Questionnaires
13
Q
What is more reliable?
Quantitive or qualitative data
A
Quantitive
14
Q
What is validity?
A
How far it gives a true picture of the subject being studied
15
Q
What study is very valid?
A
Observational studies
16
Q
What is representativeness?
A
Does the sample of people chosen for the research reflect a society or group
If if it not representative it can not be generalised to whole groups in society
Large number or groups = representative
17
Q
What is objectivity?
A
To ensure that the researchers own values and beliefs have not had an impact or influence on carrying out the research
18
Q
What happens if a researchers values intrude on research?
A
It will impact the validity
19
Q
What is positivism?
A
- Sociology studied as a study
- uses quantitative data
- World is full of social facts expressed statistics and correlations
- human behaviour shaped by external environment
20
Q
What is interpretivism?
A
- Sociology focuses on meaning and motives of individuals
- Uses qualitative data
- human behaviour is shaped by internal stimuli
21
Q
What is Durkheims study of suicide?
A
- He studied the suicide statistics in European countries
- Found the Protestant had a higher rate of suicide than Jews or catholics - Married people more than single people -Parents rather childless people
- Those living in times of peace and stability rather than war
22
Q
Why did Durkheim identify as the 2 key factors in suicide?
A
- A persons level of integration
2. Their level of regulation
23
Q
What is integration?
A
- The extent to which someone feels part of their community, family or society
24
Q
What is regulation?
A
The extent to which a persons behaviour is determined and ruled by others
25
What 4 types of suicide did Durkheim come up with?
1. Egoistic
2. Altruistic
3. Fatalistic
4. Anomic
26
What types of suicide are based on the relationship with regulation?
Fatalistic and anomic
27
What types of suicide are based on their relationship with integration?
Egoistic and altruistic
28
What is egoistic suicide?
- To little integration into society
| - Does not feel part of community
29
What is altruistic suicide?
- Too much integration into society
| - Feeling responsible for other people
30
What is fatalistic suicide?
- Too much regulation
| - Lacking control ( prisoners)
31
What is anomic suicide?
- Not enough regulation
| - Lack of normality in a rapidly changing society
32
What did Douglaus say about the study of suicide?
- Critical of Durkheim
- Criticised the use of stats
- Decision to decide death as suicide is made by a coroner
- Depends in on available evidence and is influenced by other people such as the family of the deceased
- If a person if well integrated into society their family and friends are more likely to deny the possibility of suicide
- Suicide can have different meanings in different cultures
33
What is Steve Taylor’s study on suicide?
- Studied death by train
- A number of factors made suicide verdict more likely
- People who had mental health issues and who had suffered from social failure or disgrace were more likely to receive the suicide verdict
- The verdict is strongly influenced by witnesses stated in the deceased state of mind
34
What are some practical issues of a sociological study?
Money
Time
Access
35
What are some ethical issues of sociological studies?
- Consent
- Effects on the people being studied
- Confidentiality
- Effects in wider society
- Issues of legality and immorality
36
What is triangulation?
- The use of both qualitative and quantitive data
| - Improves validity and reliability
37
What is methodology?
- ethical constraints
- theoretical constraints
- practical constraints
38
What do feminists sociologists study?
- The position of women in society
| - Seek to uncover patriarchy
39
What do Marxist sociologists study?
- How a small minority or people exploit the vast majority so successfully
- Seek to study power, concentration or power and wealth and social class divisions
40
What do functionalist sociologists study?
- That there is a consensus between people and groups
- Seek to study how society maintains agreement
- Focuses in values, beliefs systems and socialisation
41
What is random sampling?
Every sampling unit has an equal chance of being chosen
42
What is an advantage of random sampling?
- Most representative
43
What is a disadvantage of random sampling?
- Needs a large sample to make sure it is statistically likely to representative
44
What is quota sampling?
Determines how many people of a particular characteristic are studied
45
What is an advantage of quota sampling?
- Can he conducted without the use of a sampling frame
46
What is a disadvantage of quota sampling?
Accessibility of potential respondents affects their chances or being included in the sample
47
What is snowball sampling?
A member of a sample puts a researcher in touch with other potential members of the sample
48
What is an advantage of snowball sampling?
Used to mainly identify groups who are hard to access
| Eg: Criminals
49
What is an disadvantage of snowball sampling?
Based upon people who have contact with one another
50
What is self- selecting sampling?
Let people know they are conducting a study and they then decide they want to take part
51
What is an advantage of self-selecting sampling?
- Quick
| - Do not have to worry about consent
52
What is a disadvantage of self-selecting sampling?
Might not be representative
53
What is stratified sampling?
```
Population is divided into groups according to variables such as class or gender.
From this the sample is chosen.
```
54
What is an advantage of stratified sampling?
Can be confident that the sample is representative
55
What is a disadvantage of stratified sampling?
Can only happen if you have a sampling frame which contains details of characteristics of the population you are studying
56
What are case studies?
- A detailed study of one particular group or organisation
| - Studies are usually extremely detailed and provide depth info that is not usually available
57
What are the issues with case studies?
- May not be representative because people know they are being studied and could therefore change their behaviour
58
Why are case studies used?
They help develop new ideas and theories to test in the future
59
What are experiments?
- Variables are closely controlled
- Isolate effects of IV on DV
- A control and experiment are compared
60
Why are experiments not used as much in sociology?
- impossible to create real life in an artificial way
- ethical problems
- experimenter effect
- cannot study long-term or major social change
61
What is comparative research?
- Comparing differences across groups or societies over time
- Identify a particular social practice
- Valuable and reliable
62
What are questionnaires used for?
- To collect large amounts of data quickly
| - Keeps identity of pps secret
63
What type of sociologist favour questionnaires?
Positivist
64
What are the different types of questions in questionnaires?
Open-Ended
| Closed
65
What are open ended questions?
Pps can write whatever they chose to
66
What are closed questions?
Pps given a restricted range of options for their answer
67
What are the 4 different ways to administer questionnaires?
Face to face
Telephone
Postal
Internet
68
What are some advantages of questionnaires?
- Easy to collect data quickly
- Not necessary for researcher to be present
- Easy to analyse data
- Keeps pps identity secret
- Can give consent
- Should reflect real differences between people
- Can help produce new theories
69
What are some disadvantages of questionnaires?
- Expensive
| - Different interpretations of the Q’s depending on the pps
70
What are the different types of interviews?
Structured
Unstructured
Partly structured
71
What is a structured interview?
Pre set questions
72
What is a partly structured interview?
List of topics to be covered
73
What is a unstructured interview?
No fixed questions
74
What is coding?
- If you want to analyse data systematically or produce statistics you will need to decide on a number categories run to which you can place the answers.
75
What are the advantages of interviews?
- Flexible
- Guaranteed anonymity
- Can study past, present or future behaviour, feelings, opinions and attitudes
76
What are the disadvantages of interviews?
- Interviewer bias
| - Careful to avoid sensitive topics that can cause psychological harm
77
Why do sociologists use secondary sources?
- Saves time and money
- Includes data past the means of the sociologist
- Allows the studies of past societies
- Subject contains illegal activities
- If the researcher is unable to collect data first hand
78
What are the limitations with using secondary sources?
- Bias from source creator
- Official stats only shed positive light on activities
- May not include relevant info needed for sociologist
- May contain errors
- May use categories that are not relevant witty theories
79
What types of secondary data are there?
- Previous sociological research
- Official publications
- Diaries and letters
- Novels
- family histories
- Media
- Documents
