Sociology Science Flashcards
objectivity
Researchers maintain an element of distance from their research in the pursuit of fact rather than opinion
value freedom
Researchers do not allow for their own values, experiences and opinions to impact on their collection of data
inductive approach
Researchers start with a hypothesis, then find evidence to support it
quantitative methods
Researchers should aim to gather numerical, measurable data which can enable comparisons, patterns and trends
predictions and generalisations
Aims to make predictions and generalisations – by gathering knowledge and facts about how things work, scientists aim to predict patterns and trends
facts
Aims to obtain facts about phenomena – rather than gaining opinions, scientists aim to obtain the absolute truth
yes, sociology can be considered a science
Sociology can meet all the scientific criteria by using quantitative, scientific methods such as experiments and using official statistics.
It should aim to be objective and value free to get factual knowledge and find social facts.
Durkheim proposed that Sociology should study society in a scientific way, and aimed to do so in his study ‘Le Suicide’
what is science
pursuit of knowledge and understanding about the world around us using research to gather evidence
can sociology meet scientific criteria
positivists argue that sociology can meet this criteria, while interpretants disagree
no, sociology cannot and should not be considered a science, interpreist view
Sociology cannot meet the scientific criteria because its subject matter is different to that of the natural sciences. Researchers are human beings with values, experiences and beliefs, and their subject matter are human beings with values, experiences and beliefs. To be truly objective is therefore impossible. Furthermore, all humans are different and so we cannot predict their behaviour in the same way we can predict a chemical reaction.
It also should not aim for objectivity, and instead researchers should use their experiences to interpret human behaviour and gain empathy and verstehen. Remaining objective and using quantitative methods does not allow the researcher to understand meanings behind human actions.
Ethnographic research methods lack scientific principles, but have enormous benefits
the femenist view, sociology should not try to be like a science but instead understand womens experiances
Objective, disconnected scientific methods are masculine and cannot adequately explain women’s experiences. The Positivist model of interviewing is masculine and gives power to the interviewer, meaning that women as research participants have little control over the outcome of the research.
Sociological researchers should not try to be objective. Women as researchers and participants should be encouraged to share their experiences with each other to empower each other.
Additionally, science has traditionally been used to justify female oppression, for example in the 19th century, scientific theories supported the belief that education for women would produce infertility and hysteria! Therefore, Sociology should aim to empower women against patriarchal structures like science, and should not follow scientific principles.
Oakley used what she called a ‘Feminist methodology’ in her study of women during pregnancy and childbirth
popper: sociology is not truly scientific in all respects, only some
In the past, science had traditionally taken an inductive approach which Popper argues is not truly objective. This is because when researchers start with a hypothesis then test for supporting evidence, it is possible that they will only look for and take note of evidence which supports their existing theory.
True science in Popper’s view is deductive, where a researcher starts with a theory and tries to prove it wrong. This is a more objective way to do research and find knowledge as it involved the researcher actively trying to find evidence to challenge an existing theory rather than only considering evidence to support it. This is known as falsification.
Sociology is not usually scientific as most sociological theories cannot be put to the falsification test. E.g. Marx’s prediction that a communist revolution could occur is not a prediction that can truly be tested. However, some parts of Sociology can be scientific if Sociologists were to adopt the deductive approach e.g. the theory that labelling leads to a self-fulfilling prophecy has been tested using experiments.
kuhn, sociology cannot be truly scientific as theres no shared paradigm
Kuhn argues that science operates under paradigms – a shared framework of assumptions, principles and methods which shape scientific research. Every scientist agrees on the paradigm and starts from the same assumptions e.g. that the world is round. Scientists also agree on the appropriate methods to use and ways to conduct their research. There can be challenges to paradigms, which leads to scientific revolution and paradigm shift e.g. going from believing the world was flat to believing it is round.
Because scientists start with a set of assumptions about what is fact, and a set of values regarding what constitutes scientific research, this means they are not being truly objective because the paradigm influences the way they do their research and the things they choose to study or accept as fact.
Sociology cannot be truly scientific either as there are too many competing ideas (theories) and no single framework which all sociologists believe in – it is pre-paradigmatic. If it did adopt one shared paradigm, it could be seen as working in the same way as the natural sciences which have agreement on ‘facts’ and ‘truths’, but this is unlikely to happen in Sociology.
kaplan, scientists are not as scientific and objective as they claim to be
Kaplan makes the distinction between the methods that scientists claim to use and the methods they actually use. This can be illustrated by scientists who dismiss evidence from experiments which contradict their hypotheses. Also in 1998 the editor of the British Medical Journal claimed only 5% of published articles reached minimum standards of scientific soundness. This is because many clinical trials are too small to be relevant and that most published studies are positive ones because negative evidence is hidden.
gomm, scientific ideas reflect the cultural assumptions and ideas of the period they emerged in
Gomm argues that science itself is relative which he illustrates using Darwin’s theory of evolution. He believed Darwin’s theory was only accepted in Victorian England because it fitted the ideas of the time – survival of the fittest and natural selection helped to explain why Britain ruled the world and the upper classes were in such a privileged position.
