Sociology is Value Free

Question 1

Value Free: Early Positivists

Answer 1

Enlightenment project
By remaining value free society can be fixed as it can determine what is best for society

Question 2

Value Free: Modern Positivists

Answer 2

Should be morally neutral
Sociologists hired as problem solvers
Pay masters

Question 3

Value Free: Positivists Durkheim

Answer 3

Suicide study
Results in valid data due to objectivity and remains detached

Question 4

Value Free: Methods

Answer 4

Milgram’s study [research methods]
Studied human behaviour in a scientific scale

Question 5

Value Driven: Committed Sociology

Answer 5

Should openly take sides
Take the side of the underdogs of society
Researchers need to include their values to provide a voice for underdogs

Question 6

Value Driven: Criticisms of Funding bodies

Answer 6

All research is affected by values
Usually values of whoever pays for research to continue
Values of funding bodies will be respected

Question 7

Value Driven: Interpretivists

Answer 7

Researchers need to be attached to gain vestehen
Douglas in comparison to Durkheim

Question 8

Value Driven: Limitations of Experiments

Answer 8

Impossible to control variables
Difficult to study wider society
Vestehen cannot be gained
Positivists often dehumanised participants and can be unethical