Flashcards
Research methods
Cards in this deck (20)
- 1PositivismPositivists are very influenced by natural sciences. They argue that we should treat people as objects and that our behaviour is governed by by 'social laws'
- 2'Puppets of society' (Positivism)Positivists regard individuals as 'puppets of society' This means that whole groups of people act in similar ways because of social structure. Human behaviour is therefore very predictable
- 3Sociology as a social sciencePositivists believe that the behaviour of human beings can be objectively measured in the same way as natural science. They argue that sociologists should adopt more logical and scientific methods of research
- 4Hypotheticodeductive methodThis observation then leads to positivists coming up with hypotheses or conjectures
- 5ReliabilityIf the research process used is reliable, another sociologist should be able to repeat the research and get the same or similar results
- 6Value freeThe sociologist should remain neutral and not allow their personal views influence their research
- 7RepresentativenessPeople who take part in the research should have characteristics that are typical of the larger population being studied
- 8GeneralisationThe sociologist can safely conclude that what it is true of sample can be applied to the wider population of which the sample belongs too
- 9Quantitative dataData is expressed in numerical form
- 10ValidityWhether the research findings give a true picture of what is being studied
- 11Durkheim- a study of suicide (Positivism)He concluded that the suicide rate was not the result of individuals using their free will but suicidal behaviour is shaped by society. Society had failed to intergrate those particular individuals into society
- 12InterpretivismReject the positivist view that human behaviour is shaped by society which people have no control. People are active creators of their own destinies because they are conscious beings
- 13Atkinson- coroners + suicide (Interpretivism)Atkinson was critical of Durkheim's use of official statistics because Durkheim failed to appreciate that they were socially constructed. Suicide statistics are socially constructed by coroners who come to the decision as a result of interacting with the person's families and friends
- 14VerstehenReaching empathetic understanding
- 15Researcher impositionInterprevists claim that positvists research focuses on what they feel is important rather than the research subject
- 16EthnographicTrying to understand social behaviour by going out and interacting with groups personally
- 17RapportUnique and trusting relationship
- 18Qualitative dataPresents the experience of the research subjects in words
- 19Reflexivity (Interprevitism)A form of self evaluation that involves researchers critically looking at how they organised the research process
- 20A third waySome critics have gone so far as to suggest that no such divide exists in the real world because people's actions are a result of a combination of free will and structural constraints
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- A-level Sociology Flashcards on Research methods, created by Charlotte Dorans on 17/04/2017.
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- Charlotte Dorans
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