Topic 5- Subjectivity, objectivity and value freedom Flashcards
What does subjectivity mean
Sociologists are part of the society they are studying and that their own values and beliefs will affect the research
What theorists take a subjective approach
Feminists and interpretivists
What data does a subjective approach use
Qualitative data
What does objectivity mean
Researchers approach topics with a complete open mind, detachment and distance from those being researched
Which theorists agree with objectivity
Positivism
What data do objective theorists prefer
Quantative data
Who argues that sociology should be value free
Comte and Durkheim
What does Comte say
Regarded sociology as the ‘queen of sciences’ and saw sociologists as latter-day priests
Who says sociology can be value free
Positivists
What did positivists do
Made up of social structures and social facts which could be separated from the values of the researcher
What was Durkheims study of
Suicide
Who says a value free sociology is not possible
Weber
What were Webers 4 stages
-Values as a guide to research
-Data collection and hypothesis testing
-Values in interpretation of data
-Values and the sociologist as a citizen
Whats Webers sharp distinction between
value judgements and facts
Who comes up with value freedom as an ideology
Gouldner
What does Gouldner say
Value freedom in itself is a value laden concept, a convenient ideology that serves the career interests of sociologists who will take funding from anyone
Who says about committed sociology
Becker
What does Becker say
No knowledge is value free as we have to choose who to favour
What perspective does Bouldner adopt
Marxist
What is relativism
-Different groups, cultures and individuals have different views
-There is no independent way of judging whether any view is truer than another.
What do postmodernists say about the subjectivity/objectivity debate
-No objective truth
-All forms of knowledge are social constructions involving values
-None are more objective or valuable than others.