Theory & methods- paper 3 mock

Question 1

what is science

Objectivity

Answer 1

Set of principles that tell us how to produce valid knowledge. It aims to base laws and theories on objective facts gained through observing phenomena

Where the research does not involve opinions or bias or prejudice.

Question 2

Empirism

Answer 2

Knowledge gained from actually experiencing and/ or observing something.
To have empirical knowledge experiments are carried out and test relationships between variables. Theries and laws are tested over and over again when the result is always the same out come in becomes accepted as scientific knowledge.

scientific method-
State the problem, gather information, form a hypothesis, record and analyze data, sate conclusion, repeat the work.

Question 3

August Comte- Positivist

Inductive logic

Answer 3

-possible to discover the laws that control and shape the behaviour of people in society.
-Science not there to tell us why something came to be but explains how things relate to each other using law.
-main task of society is to discover general laws of social development:
laws of co-existance: looking at the relationship between parts of society
laws of succession: what are the laws that govern social change.

Inductive logic- a type of reasoning about something that involves moving from a set of specific facts to a general conclusion. Use things that are known Experiments to have been To come up withconclusion about something that has not been examined.

Question 4

Durkheim

Answer 4

Thought Comte had failed to establish sociology as a science. He though that sociology should study social facts as thing to observe and measure. looked at suicide believed. Used quantitive data from official statistics to observe patterns in suicide rates. He concluded that there were patterns. He said he had discovered a real law that different levels of integration and rules produce different rates of suicide.

Question 5

Kael Popper

Answer 5

sociology isn’t a science. He though all academic subjects that wanted to be called a science should subject themselves to a process os falsification.
He rejects Marxist perspective because its concepts such as false class consciousness are to abstract to be seen and measured.

Question 6

Deductive method

Inductive method

Answer 6

this starts with a theory. Then the theory is bombarded with challenges to its challenge to its hypothesis in order to see if it stands up to its claims.

This start with a theory. Then the theory find loads of evidence to provide itself to be right.

Question 7

Weber- Interpretivism

Answer 7

weber says sociology should study society from the perspective of other people to understand how and why things happen. Using webers perspective verstehen requires subjective understanding which draws on peoples opinions. science is strongly objective and does not allow opinion to influence science therefore do not see sociology as a science.

Question 8

Thomas Kuhn

Answer 8

looked at the history of the natural science and argued that its not simply an accumulation of knowledge that ends up being creditable academic body we know as science. But that it went through a series of paradigm shifts or revolutions.

Pre-science, Normal science, Revolutionary science

Question 9

objectivity and values

Answer 9

refers to ideas and beliefs that the researcher holds. Sociologists are divided about weather it is possible to stop ones values interfering with research

Question 10

Compt - Positivists

Weber

Answer 10

sociology can should be free from values. This is because they believe it studies empirical and objective social facts.

Agrees with positivists to an extent. He agrees that research itself can be objective and free from value. But argues that sociologists will use their values in choosing their research topic and identifying concepts. he therefore said sociology can be value relevant

Question 11

Beck- Interpretive

Answer 11

believes that the nature of sociology means that values will always influence research. (choosing topics, methods, participants, questions, funding, publisher, analyzing data, operationalising key concepts.)

believes the best thing a researcher can do is clearly state all vales they have in their research. This allows the audience to be aware of their values and consider for themselves how the research may have been impacted.

Question 12

political values in sociology

Answer 12

some theories in sociology have obvious political allegiances:
Marxism- is an inherent left wing theory due to its detest for capitalism and belief in communism.
Feminism- usually left-leaning due to its problem with conservative values such as women being homemakers. However feminists can also be right leaning.
New rights- believe in traditional conservative values and disagree with many progressive left wing ideas.

Question 13

Postmodernists

Answer 13

believe in realism which is simple terms is the idea that all major theories are based on values and assumptions and are therefore no true. This would mean that postmodernism is also based on values and assumptions and also isn’t true.

Question 14

what are social policies

Answer 14

Plans, actions and laws put it place by the
government, which are created to try and improve
society or tackle social issues.

Question 15

SOCIAL POLICIES ON THE FAMILY

Answer 15

Main examples- China (rile on only one child per family)
Romania (banned contraceptives lots of children in care) Nazi Germany (didn’t want certain people to have children)
Specific UK policies - Maternity/paternity leave, Divorce laws, Income support, Child tax credits

Question 16

EDUCATIONAL POLICIES

Answer 16

MARKETISATION, TRIPARTITE SYSTEM, VOCATIONAL
EDUCATION, FREE SCHOOL MEALS, TYPES OF
SCHOOLS, academies, GIST/WISE, SURE START

Question 17

FUNCTIONALISM view on social policies

Answer 17

Sociological research should help the government
create policies that help society to function. Tackle one issue at a time with ‘piecemeal sociological engineering’, such as creating a policy on improving equal opportunity in education.
Criticisms- too optimistic. Marxists criticise this piecemeal approach, they argue that issues in wider society need to be tackled before specific issues can be addressed

Question 18

Marxists view on social polices

Answer 18

Social policy legitimises the ideological - the welfare state masks capitalism by giving it a ‘caring face’. The NHS maintains the labour force for further exploitation. It’s a means of preventing revolution - when class conflict threatens capitalism. Therefore sociology should focus on removing capitalism.

Supporting evidence- The black report made 37 far-reaching policy recommendations. commissioned by the labour government finished in 1980, when Margaret Thatcher and Conservatives were in power. Conservatives fail to implement policies, they even tried to prevent its publication.

Benefits and welfare do actually help the working class.
But they’re constantly cut and underfunded.
But if they were designed to keep the working class
working, then that wouldn’t make sense.

Question 19

Libral and radical feminist views on social policies

Answer 19

Liberal feminists- sociological research can influence government to create laws which reduce inequality. (equal pay act, the equality act). Radical/ marxist feminists believe the state perpetuates women subordination through social policy

criticism of liberal feminists to optimistic more extreem change is needed. Supported by failure of polices such as the equal pay act.
criticisms of Radical/ marxist feminists ignore the positive change that have been made through social policy. Criticise social policies because it is reformist rather than revolutionary (not accepting small change want to much from government and social policies)

Question 20

the new rights views on social policies

Answer 20

social policies are bad for society as they encourage dependency (e.g. welfare benefits encourage lone parenthood) The government should have minimum involvement in people lives. social policies should only exist to reduce the needs for them in the future.

criticism there research is often baised and/ or lacks evidence. Sometimes there is a need for large government involvement.

Question 21

Postmodernism views on social policies

Answer 21

Sociological research dosent prove “the truth” because theres no such thing as “the truth”. It just proves a possible truth. Therefore creating social policies would be pointless because it aims to fix something which may not exist

critisism focuses more on critiquing existing systems than offering practical solutions for social problems. dont agree with science and rationality undermining evidence-based policymaking, especially in areas like public health or climate change.

Question 22

social democrates views on social policies

Answer 22

Social democrats aim to balance a market-based economy with policies that promote social justice, fairness, and equality through government intervention. They believe in the welfare state, progression tax, workers rights and regulation.

criticisms- Critics argue social democracy fails to address the root causes of inequality by trying to reform, rather than replace, capitalism. Welfare and government regulation are often unsuitable and dont offer enough to support people

Question 23

Feminism

Answer 23

every society is patriarchal. (men have dominating power and oppress women) Gender is different to biological sex. Inequality between the genders causes conflict. This can be resolved through out actions to illuminate inequality.

Question 24

Social action theory

Answer 24

also known as interpretative theories emphasise the free will and choice of individuals, and their role in creating the social structure. They focus on individuals everyday behaviour. They want to understand the interactions between individuals or small groups that take place (micro approach). how people interpreter and see things they do, define there identity, and how the reactions of others can affect their views of things and there own identity.

Question 25

Symbolic interactions

Answer 25

Is a social action perspective particularly concerned with understanding human behavior in face to face situations and how individuals and situations come to be defined or classified in particular ways. This is known as labeling

Question 26

Neoliberal ideas what do we need?

Answer 26

• Have neoliberal ideas (The value of education is determined by where it put us in the global marketplace. Only achieved if schools are more like businesses)
  -the sate cannot meet people needs people are best to do it them selves through free market (people are free to buy and sell what they want. producers have to prove there customers want them or they cannot sell them.)
  -favour marketisation if education.

Question 27

Marxism

Answer 27

Conflict theory. The structure of society is determined by the economic system capitalism. An econimic and polotical system in which a countrys trade and industry are controlled by private ownership for profit rather than by the state.

Question 28

Functionalism
Durkheim-

Answer 28

Society is like a human body. All parts have to work together for society to work. Everyone has a role to play. Functionalism is a consensus theory.

Question 29

Functionalism evaluation pros

Answer 29

pros- it provided a basis for other sociologists to develop further theories and ideas, It explains how and why society changes over time. Marxists believe that Functionalists support capitalism and inequality.

Question 30

Marxism is thought to lead to?

Answer 30

Eventally the working calss would gain calss consciousness and revoult and over throw the rulling class. The state would own the means of producation and society would be a communist society.