Subjectivity, objectivity, value freedom Flashcards
Subjectivity
the idea that sociologists are part of the society they are studying so are involved in what they research and their own values and beliefs will affect research, making it impossible for sociology to be objective and detached
subjectivity is associated with interpretivists who value personal involvement with participants
Objectivity
researchers approaching topics with detachment, separation and distance to keep their personal feelings and interpretations separate from research
generally associated with positivism and the use of scientific methods
Subjectivity and objectivity
should be seen as a continuum/spectrum as much sociology falls between complete subjectivity and complete objectivity
3 competing positions in the debate about sociology being value-free
- that sociology can and should be value-free
- that sociology cannot be value-free
- that sociology should not be value-free, even if it were possible
(postmodernists view the values debate as pointless and meaningless as they believe that knowledge is relative)
Sociology should be value-free
- positivists like Comte and Durkheim though sociology should be like the natural sciences, untainted by personal values
- value-freedom would give sociology the same status and authority as natural sciences
- value-free sociology could provide the facts that can influence social policy and improve the world
Sociology can be value free
- positivists like Comte and Durkheim thought value-freedom was possible in sociology as long as it used similar methods to the natural sciences
- believed that social structures and facts could be studied scientifically
- the use of reliable and valid empirical quantitative data to establish causes of human behaviour
- Durkheim sought to achieve value-freedom in his study of suicide
The myth of value-freedom
- no natural or social scientist can completely avoid the influence of their own values (eg in choosing something to research)
- eg their training may influence what they see (like a radiographer looking at an x-ray compared to the untrained eye)
- without values, it is impossible to know what to observe, or which methods to use or make sense on what is observed
The assumptions of positivists and interpretivists as a source of values
- positivists searching for quantitative data is an example of their values
- interpretivists seeking qualitative data and interpretations is an example of their values
- data still needs to be interpreted subjectively
- assumptions and values of sociologists guide their selection of topic and what topics and information they regard as significant
Other sources of values (why sociology can never be value free)
- personal prejudices and political views of the researcher
- feminist sociologists are likely to study gender inequalities and assume that women are oppressed by the patriarchy
- marxist sociologists look for evidence of exploitation under capitalism
- functionalists assume that society is based on harmony and consensus and seek evidence for this
- marxists and feminists view sociological research as a way to find solutions and improvements
The need for value-commitment
some sociologists suggest that even if a value-free sociology was possible, it would not be desirable
The need for value commitment - value freedom as ideology
- Gouldner (1962) - argues that value-freedom is impossible and that the idea of value-freedom is a value-laden concept
- argues that the idea of value-freedom serves the career interests of sociologists who want to sell their research and avoid taking moral responsibility
- Gouldner argues that pretending to be value-free supports the powerful in an unequal society, essentially supporting exploitation
- Gouldner argues that sociologists should have a clear value-commitment with a public responsibility for improving the lives of the exploited and oppressed
The need for value commitment - who’s side are you on?
- Becker (1967) challenged sociologists to ask themselves ‘whose side are we on?’
- argues that no knowledge is value-free so we have to choose who to favour in research
- sociologists should take moral responsibility to improve people’s lives
- Becker’s own research into labelling sides with the victims of negative labels
- seeks to give the underprivileged a voice through sociological research, encouraging social change
- marxist and feminist sociologists take this perspective in siding with the working class and women
Postmodernism and the values debate
- suggest that subjectivity, objectivity and value-freedom simply reflects the values and assumptions of competing sociologists
- argue that there is no objective truth or knowledge
- the idea of value-freedom is just an attempt to establish one interpretation as the only true or valid approach
Dealing with values in sociological research
- all sociologists should strive to produce research that provides the fullest, most reliable and most valid information
- Weber argues that the topic researchers choose will reflect their values and the values of those funding the research
- values should be considered when considering the ethics of research (eg what should researchers do when hey know about illegal behaviour)
- findings should be open to inspection, criticism, debate and testing by other researchers - Weber suggests researchers should be clear about their own values so their work can be checked properly
