RESEARCH(Chap 6, book 1)

RESEARCH(Chap 6, book 1)

1. Book 1

   • QUALITATIVE DATA
     • words rather than numbers. Can take a variety of forms
       • field notes, text, audio and video recording of naturally occurring events
     • major form of data used in cultural studies like childhood studies
       • historians rely heavily on it
         • link to historical approach
     • CONS
       • 1) audio and visual only provide a glimpse of what is within shot, there is always more going on
         • 2) video can significantly alter peoples behaviour
           • 3) Participants may lie
             • Margaret Mead in Samoa
             • 4) It is up to the researcher to decide what is relevant when transcribing notes etc. Their perception or role they impose upon themselves as researcher will influence this
               • 5) Focus is on small number of participants unlike quantitative
                 • conclusions may be generalised. A process of inference is in place - from sample to population
                   • HELEN kAVAPULA - childhood punishment in Tongo (bk 1 p195)
     • PROS
       • 1) not limited to rigidly defined variables
         • 2) free to explore new areas of research
           • 3) provides in depth examination
             • 4) Can examine indepth questions not possible to answer with quantitative research
     • Qualitative researchers regard quantitative research as in a appropriate for researching social phenomenon. Only a qualitative approach can overcome the difficulttlies adult researchers face in trying to understand childhood
   • QUANTITATIVE DATA
     • takes on form of numbers
       • used to indicate frequency of an event as well as degree to which objects posess an attribute
         • child mortality rates are an example (bk 4)
       • EXPERIMENTAL: control is exerted by researcher over the variables
         • PIAGET
       • SURVEY: for example questionnaires
     • pros
       • 1) allows for braoder area of study
         • 2) using standards means that results can be compared with other studies which allows for greater accuracey
           • 3) personal bias can be avoided
     • cons
       • 1) research often carried out in unnatural enviro which can impact results obtained
         • 2) collect a much narrower dataset
           • 3)standardised questions can lead to false representation of subject as it illicts answers to very specific thhings, discounting everything else
             • results are limited as they provide numerical data rather than bio data
   • what is role of research to document or evaluate. link to role of researcher in chap 6 bk 4

2. Difficulties researching children

   • There are limits on the adult researchers ability to fully understand the cultural influences which affect children's lives
     • Barriers to understanding Owain Jones 2001 (bk 1 p297)
   • there is a danger that adults will assume having been a child they understand all childhood life experiences. They forget that each experience is personal
     • can forget the differences gender, class, age, ethnicity, locale make to the childhood experience
   • adopting a documentary stance does not mean adopting a cultural relativist view point