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Introduction to Sociology1.2 – Research Methods

1.2 – Research Methods

Main Idea Essential Question

Why is the scientific method a trusted way of

obtaining research data?

Objectives

Explain the 6 steps to the

social scientific method

Identify the strengths

and weaknesses of the three methods of conducting research

Discuss why ethics are important during the research process

The Research Process As you recall, sociology is the science that studies human society

and social behavior. Because sociology is a science, it seeks answers to questions through empirical research.

This type of research relies on the use of experience, observation, and experimentation to collect facts, or data. If something can be seen, smelled, tasted, touched, or heard, it is considered to be empirical.

Sociologists, like most scientists, collect empirical data by using the scientific method. The scientific method scientific method is an objective, logical, and systematic way of collecting empirical data and arriving at reasoned conclusions.

Researchers who employ the scientific method: (1) try to prevent their own notions, values, and biases from interfering in

the research process (2) use careful and correct reasoning in drawing conclusions from their

data (3) carry out research in a thoughtful, organized, and methodical manner.

+ Social Scientific Method

+ Variables Sociologists want to uncover the causal connections

between events. Things do not just happen. There is a cause behind each occurrence. Sociologists study cause and effect by examining the relationships among variables

Variable – Examples – age, race, income, martial status A casual relationship exists when a change in one variable causes

a change in another variable. It remains casual if it doesn’t always work

Correlation – The more cigarettes, the greater the chance for lung cancer Researchers must avoid spurious correlations (3rd variable

undetected)

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Lets say teenage drug use is one variable. Name another variable that can

be altered by it and explain why.

+Basic Research Methods

There are 3 categories of research methods that sociologists employ to collect data on society and human behavior

Sociological Research Methods

+ Survey Survey –

Population – the entire group of people to be studied

Sample – Random Sampling – a sample drawn in such a way that all

members of the population had an equal chance of being selected Stratified Sampling – process of drawing a sampling where various

categories of people are represented in proportions equal to their presence in the population

Most interviews today are administered online or over the phone

Constants –

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In Graduate School at Boston University, I did a research study about the correlation between high school

government class and voter behavior. What was wrong with my study? Why the the results unintended?

+Questionnaires and Interviews

There are 2 types of surveys Questionnaires – Interviews –

Questionnaires are easy to distribute to a large group of people very quickly, but does not enable Sociologists to know if the subjects have interpreted the questions correctly

Interviews are more time consuming and expensive than questionnaires, but allow Sociologists to make clarifications, and note context clues (like facial expressions, hesitations, ect.) Structured Interviews – interview in which the researcher asks

questions that require subjects to choose among several standardized answers

Unstructured Interviews – interview where open-ended questions are asked

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Describe what may have gone wrong with the Hawthorne Electrical Plant

observational study.

+ Observation

Observational Study– Detached Observation - a method

of observation in which the researcher observes as an outsider, without getting involved

Participant Observation – a method of observation in which the researcher takes part in the activities of the group being studies

Hawthorne Effect –

+ Experiment

Experiment –

Experimental Group – the group that is exposed to the independent variable Control Group – the group that is not

exposed to the independent variable

The experimental method has some limitations. Most experiments are conducted in a laboratory, so the conditions 1created may not accurately reflect conditions in real life. Further, the laboratory atmosphere may

cause research subjects to behave differently than they would in a normal social setting.

+Social Experimentation

Washington, DC Metro Station on a January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man stopped for a few seconds and then hurried off

 4 minutes later:   the violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.   6 minutes:   A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk.  

 45 minutes: 6 people stopped and listened. About 20 gave money but continued to walk.  The man collected $32.

1 hour: He finished playing.  No one knew that the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million. Two days before Bell sold out a theater where seats averaged $100.

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What does this experiment say about people’s priorities and how they

perceive their environment?

+Ethics When conducting research, sociologists

follow ethical standards to foster professional integrity and to ensure the welfare of the people with whom they work.

The American Sociological Association (ASA), the professional organization of sociologists, has established specific ethical guidelines. By and large, these guidelines focus on the issues of confidentiality, deception, and informed consent.

Ethics – Reliability – results of research are consistent Validity – results of the research are accurate Objectivity – results of research is unbiased

Critical Thinking

What are the benefits to each type of research method? What are the

drawbacks?