Topic 1 - approaches to social research

Question 1

Validity?

Answer 1

data is said to be valid if its genuine

Question 2

Demographic?

Answer 2

this data is usually seen as being valid because it may be related to the number of births and deaths, which are officially counted each year within England and Wales

Question 3

Reliability?

Answer 3

if a research study is repeated and similar findings are recorded, then the data and the method are seen as reliable
Some methods are easier to use in a standardized way in comparison to others.
Collecting information using a questionnaire is more consistent than if an interview is used

Question 4

Representativeness?

Answer 4

research is carried out on a small section or sample in society
When considering the value of the findings of a study, it’s important that it is representative of those being studied

Question 5

Generalisability?

Answer 5

this is where data obtained from a small group of people can be applied to a whole population. If the data is not representative, it can’t be generalised

Question 6

Objectivity?

Answer 6

sociologists will investigate issues that they are interested in, but the research must be conducted in an impartial and unbiased way. Therefore, to remain objective, your personal values and beliefs should not affect how the issue is approached or how the data is collected and interpreted

Question 7

Ethics?

Answer 7

the issue of right and wrong; in research, it is wrong to harm anyone
Therefore, steps are put in place to protect people
Sometimes the ethical issues are complex; this may affect what research is possible or how it is carried out
There are professional guidelines that help sociologists

Question 8

Approaches to research?

Answer 8

Sociological research uses two main approaches: Positivists analyze quantitative data to identify trends and correlations in measurable social facts, while Interpretivists focus on qualitative data to explore meanings behind behavior. The realist approach combines both, emphasizing flexibility based on research needs.

Question 9

Causal relationships?

Answer 9

This is where one specific thing can be said to make another thing happen; for example, smoking causes cancer

Question 10

Non causal?

Answer 10

Not everyone who smokes gets lung cancer and some people who do not smoke also get lung cancer; therefore

Question 11

Interpretivism?

Answer 11

Within this approach, sociologists prefer to collect detailed accounts in words
It enables the researcher to find out how people’s feelings, attitudes and experiences are, i.e it produces qualitative
They do not look for causal relationships; this is because they view human behaviour as different from the behaviour of things within the natural world, i.e humans consider what things mean and then they decide how to act

Question 12

Realism?

Answer 12

Positivists face criticism as social research cannot fully replicate natural science methods. Sociologists choose research methods based on factors like their study’s purpose, topic, existing data, and available resources. For example, studying crime rates may use secondary quantitative data (e.g., ONS), while exploring crime’s impact on victims typically involves collecting primary qualitative data.

Question 13

Primary data?

Answer 13

this has been collected firsthand by those who are using it to carry out independent research, for example, interviews to investigate how families make decisions

Question 14

Secondary data?

Answer 14

: it’s information collected by others, for example, the census in Britain, letters or diaries

Question 15

Quanitiative data?

Answer 15

positivists favour quantitative data, i.e counting and measuring aspects of social behaviour
This data is needed if the researcher is testing a hypothesis or theory.

Question 16

Qualitative data?

Answer 16

interpretivists prefer this form of data
This is because it collects information about how people have experienced social events and what they mean to them
They are often very descriptive

Question 17

Triangulation?

Answer 17

Researchers often combine qualitative and quantitative methods to gain deeper insights. Observations reveal actual behavior, while questionnaires or interviews show what people claim to do. Each method has strengths: questionnaires are reliable, but observations offer greater validity.