Topic 2- Theory And Methods

Question 1

What are values?

Answer 1

They are important to us and guide our actions

Question 2

What are the 3 stances to should sociological research should have values in it? And who agrees?

Answer 2

Sociology can be value free- classical thinkers such as positivists

Research is value laden- weber

Encourage having values- committed sociologists such as interpretivists

Question 3

Should sociology be value free, who comments on this and what do they say?

Answer 3

Comte and Durkheim- believe in a better society through progressivism, science had a progressive attitude after the enlightenment they tried mimic it.
Modernists goals are to discover how society functions and therefore solve social problems and improve human life, to do this soc needs to be value free.

Question 4

Who believes sociology is value laden and why?

Answer 4

Weber- believes values do and should have a presence in research but not always

1) Values as a guide- sociologists actively choose the areas of society they want to study which is led by values

2) data collection snd hypothesis- when collecting data and writing you hypothesis, it should be value free or it would he unethical, and false data could be obtained

3) values in the interpretation- values are included when interpreting what is being researched. Marxists might look at role allocation as negative but functionalists wouldnt

4) values and the sociologist - they shouldnt hide behind their research and should be morally accountable for the uses of their research. Shouldnt hide behind value freedom

Question 5

What do committed sociologists think about values in research?

Answer 5

Values are enforced, funding bodies or values representing the ‘underdog’.

Gouldner- sociologists are problem takers who work on behalf of organisations.
It is impossible to be value free due to:
1) because sociologists or funders values are reflected in the work
2) without values, sociologists only do research for money

Mydral- should spell out their values and take sides

Becker- sociologists always take sides, traditionally take the sides of the powerful; police, government,ect. Intead of taking sides of the overdogs we shud take sides of the underdogs (criminals, mental patients).

Question 6

What are criticisms of perspectives on research being value free or value laden?

Answer 6

Considering funding bodies- funders values can be apart of the research.
Governments can control the relevance of studies.
Sociologists want to further their career so chose topics in fashion

Relativism and postmodernist AO3:
Postmodernists criticise realists as they say all theories are meta-narratives and realists think there are multiple truths.
Postmodernist theories are ‘self defeating theories.’ As its becomes a meta narrative itself.