Theory and methods. Flashcards
Structuralism?
Structuralism focuses on large scale social structures (like media, law, family etc.) in which people play defined roles.
Functionalism?
Functionalism: the only sociological perspective based on consensus. It focuses on how various social structures help society function and run smoothly.
Steps of carrying a research?
Identify a problem.
Obtains funds.
Hypothesis, a theory that the research is designed to test.
Literature review, an overview of previously published documents on a topic relating the research.
Pilot studies, a small scale test held before the real research
Sampling.
Investigation.
Collect, comprehend, compile, record.
Publish the findings.
Random sampling
Random sampling: where everyone has an equal chance of being choosen, for eg, by drawing lots.
Generalisiabiltiy?
Generalisability: when findings about a sample can be said to apply to a larger group of people sharing their characteristics.
Methods of sociological investigation?
Questionnaires/ social surveys.
Interviews.
Experiments.
Case studies.
Longitudinal studies.
Participant observation.
non-participant observation.
Content analysis.
Triangulation.
Types of
Questionnaires/ social surveys.
Questionnaires/ social surveys.
Types of questions in questionnaires:
Close or pre-coded questions.
Scaled questions.
Open questions.
Close/ pre-coded questions?
Questions where the researcher has already set out the answers that can be recorded.
This, makes it easy to analyse and record the data/produces statatistical data. However a problem with this is that respondents may want to give answers not availble in the options provided, though this can be overcome by adding an other(specify) option.
Scaled questions?
A form of close ended questions. These include: Strongly agree, Agree, Neither, Disagree, Strongly disagree.
Often to avoid making a choice respondents will choose ‘neither’. To produce data that actually proves smth, researcher can exclude the said option, however, this might force people who actually don’t have a preference to choose.
Open questions?
Open qustions are where respondents can write their own answers. This is to dwelve into the why of things, i.e. the meaning people attatch to their action/beliefs.
This produces quantitative date. Quantitative data is hard to analyse and recorded, howevr coding answers can make things easier.
Ways of conducting surveys?
Self completion surveys.
Structured Interviews.
Self completion surveys?
Questionnaires completed by the respondent on their own, without the researcher present.
Structured Interviews?
Interviews in which questions are standarised ( the same questions asked in the same order.) and the replies codified to produce quantitative data.
These include:
Face-to-face questionnaires.
Telephone questionnaires.
Reliability and Validity?
validity: when the research can be repeated and similar responses will be obtained.
reliability: when the findings acurately reflect the reality that it is intended to capture.
Unstructured interviews
Unstructured interviews, is an interview without set questions, this involves dwelling into things like emotions. Encouraging the respondent but not talking much overall, this produces qualitative data.
Identity?
Identity: how a person sees themselves and how others see them.
Experiments.
Experiments are neglected method, a positivist one at that.
Laboratory experiments.
Laboratory experiments: experiments taking place in an artificial setting created for the research where external variables are excluded as far as possible.
Field experiments.
Field experiments are experiments that take place in the natural setting of the real world rather than in a laboratory.
Case studies.
Case study: a detailed in-depth study of one group or event.
Longitudinal studies.
Longitudinal studies: a survey taking place at intervals over a long period of time.
Panel studies.
Panel studies is when the same sample is used each time in longitudinal studies.
Participant observation.
Participant observation involves joining a group of people living as they do.
Types:
. Overt-participant observation.
. Covert- participant observation.
Non-participant observation.
Non-participant observation is when the researcher observes a group but does not participate in what it’s doing.
Overt participant participant.
When the group being studied is aware that the research is taking place and of who the researcher is.
This helps with obtaining informed consent, asking questions, interviewing people and avoiding illeagal activities. However, hawthorne effect could be a problemas well as respondents trying to make an impression on the researcher , raising questions about the research’s validity.
Covert participant observation.
When the group being studied is unaware of the research and is deciedved into thinking the researcher is a real member of the group. Usually used with criminals, avoids hawthorne effect. Dificult to take notes without avoiding suspicion.
Content Analysis.
A method of studying the communication and the media, which involves classifying the content and counting frequencies.
Triangulation.
Triangulation is the use of two or more methods in the same research project.
Typers of data and information
. Primary data, information collected by sociologists first hand.
. Secondary data, information collected earlier by other researchers and used later on by other sociologists.
Types of secondary data.
. Official statistics produced by govt or official organisations.
. Other research by sociologist, journalists etc.
. The media.
. Other mainly qualitative sources like diaries, letters etc.
Comparitive study.
In research looking at two or more different groups or events in terms of their similarities and differences.
Trend.
A change over overtime in a particular direction.
Research methods that produce qualitative data.
. Unstructured interviews.
. Content Analysis.
. Participant observation.
. Non-participant observation.
Research methods that produce quantitative data.
. Experiments.
. Structured interviews.
Research methods that produce both.
. Case study.
. Longitudinal studies.
. Triangulation.
. Questionnaires/Surveys.
Marxism?
Marxism: a sociological perspective based on conflict between social classes.
Types of feminists.
Liberal feminists believe major advances have been made and equality can be reached through further changes.
Radical feminists believe advances have been made but society remains patriachal in less apparent ways.
Marxist feminists focus on how gender and class work together to produce fundamental difference in society.
Stratified sampling?
Stratified sampling: when the sampling frame is divided , for eg, by gender or age to achieve generalisablity.
Quota sampling?
Quota sampling: when the number of respondents needed for the research are already decided.
Semi-structured interviews?
Semi-structured interviews, an interview with some standarised questions/ topics but allowing the researcher to ask questions in a differnent order and additional questions to dwelve deeper.
Group interviews
Group interviews consist of a group of people who are interviewed together to save time and money.
causation?
causation: when a strict link can be proved between two variables.
correlation?
correlation: when two variables are related to each other but causation can not be proved.
Consensus?
Consensus: basic agreement on a set of shared values.
Conflict?
Conflict: disagreement between groups with different interests.
sample?
A sample is a small portion of the target population that the research aims to study.
Survey population.
Survey population: the people the research is about.
Interviewer bias?
The intentional or unintentional effect of the way an interviewer asks questions or interprets answers.
Interviewer effect?
The way an interviewer influences the participants responces by their verbal cues like face expression and tone of voice. appearance and characteristics.
Snowball sampling
When one respondent puts the researcher in contact with other respondents.
Questionnaires
A set of written questions completed by the respondents.
Interviews
A one on one discussion with the respondent.
Observations
Watching participants in order to observe their behaviour.
