theories & methods- objectives & values

Question 1

Comte & Durkheim

Answer 1

progressivism (modernist beliefs that avoid personal feelings), science praised in enlightenment period for being progressive so thought soc mimicking it would give same respect

Question 2

Modernist beliefs

Answer 2

soc is a science as allows social problems to be solved to improve human life (goal of enlightenment) so soc should be value free

Question 3

Durkheim study of suicide

Answer 3

detached with no personal influence

Question 4

Weber

Answer 4

critical of modernist thinkers, values do and should have presence in research but not always

Question 5

4 parts of a study

Answer 5

1) research- value-laden, eg feminist/marxist
2) data collection- value-free, no bias that might skew validity
3) interpretation- value-laden, come to own conclusions
4) sociologist as citizen- value-laden, take responsibility for own interpretation

Question 6

Committed sociologists

Answer 6

want to better society but values are enforced either by funding body or on behalf of underdog

Question 7

Gouldner

Answer 7

sociologists before 50s used values to investigate problems which caused social disorder but at end of 20th century became ‘problem-takers’ who acted on behalf of organisations so didn’t rock boat of social order

Question 8

Why can’t be value-free

Answer 8

1) impossible- every human has values which used in everything, is inevitable
2) undesirable- would be acting on behalf of overdog which ignores struggles of underdog and is just for money (not what soc about)

Question 9

Myrdal

Answer 9

sociologists should not just spell out values for every element of study but also just take sides

Question 10

Becker

Answer 10

interactionist, all sociologists use values but should use values of underdog instead of overdog, backed up by Goffman who says should use qual methods to gain verstehen

Question 11

AO3

Answer 11

• funder’s values become part of research
• government can influence relevance of research eg conservatives and black report
• sociologists can feel pressured to study certain subjects eg by unis
• protect career by not accounting for their values and also study what is on trend

Question 12

Relativism & PM criticism

Answer 12

relativism- plural truths where none more credible than others
pm- metanarratives BUT pm theory could be metanarrative too so self defeating theory