Values in research

Question 1

Subjectivity

Answer 1

when you make a judgement based on own personal bias

Question 2

Feminists and interprevisitis

Answer 2

believe it is important to have personal involvement and closeness to the people they are researching to gain a closer understanding

Question 3

Objectivity

Answer 3

when researcher removes all personal bias from research

Question 4

Durkheim and positivists

Answer 4

Research should be value free as it should follow scientific values

Question 5

Weber

Answer 5

value relevance - sociologists will use personal values to pick a topic but research should be objective

Question 6

Value laden

Answer 6

when research is weighed down by their values and cannot escape them

Question 7

Reasons for value laden

Answer 7

• funders of research often have an agenda
• research can involve career progression, so they will pick a topic that will get them noticed

Question 8

Becker

Answer 8

value committed - sociologists should be value committed where they should use their positions of power to give a voice to the deprived