Chapter 3 - Methodology Flashcards
(33 cards)
What is quantitative methodology?
Concerned with the collection of numbers and is scientific, a macro sociologist method. Auguste Comte says it should be confined to observable and directly measurable phenomena.
What is methodology?
It refers to the way of producing and analysing data. So that theories can be tested.
What is qualitative methodology?
Concerned with gathering information about meaning and emotion. A micro sociology perspective. It’s a humanistic approach.
Interprets meaning behind social action.
What is positivism?
It’s closely related to natural sciences, in carrying out research.
Reality can be explained by observation and evidence.
What does Comte say about methodology?
He is the founding father of positivism.
Scientific knowledge can improve man existence, and sociologists should not be concerned with internal meanings, but rather measure society in a objective way.
What does Durkheim say about methodology?
He believes society should study social facts specifically.
He defined the proper method of studying social facts.
Durkheim identifies 4 types of suicide in his study. Mention them.
Altruistic - Excessive integration. Eg: Sacrificing themselves with a sense of duty for others. Tribal/religious.
Egoistic - Lack of integration. Eg: Lack of acceptance from social groups. School shootings.
Fatalistic - Excessive regulation. Eg: Society restricts the individuals too much. Communist Russia.
Anomic - Lack of regulation. Eg: Lack of norms and values. Secularisation, abortion and divorce.
According to Durkheim, what are social facts?
They should be considered as things, such as belief systems, customs and institutions which are intangible.
He saw them as existing beyond individual consciousness. They cannot be changed at well, and this determined how people behaved.
Therefore becoming social facts (lack of free will)
Was Durkheim technically a positivist?
Although he used to quantitative and scientific methods, due to the fact that he used social facts, which are intangible he is not technically a positivist.
What do interpretivism say about methodology.
Sociology should interpret the meanings behind social actions.
No need to be objective.
Meaning should be applied to the social world.
What does Weber says about methodology?
It is important to be concerned with social actions.
An action is social when taking into account the behaviour of others.
What is verstehen? - Max Weber
Understanding behaviour by placing yourself in someone else’s shoes. Eg: The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. Where he interprets the beliefs and motives of Early Calvinist.
Who is Karl Poppers?
He believes in a scientific method, but he is not a positivist, because you cannot provide an ultimate truth as the theory may be falsified.
What is the deductive approach?
Making predictions and attempting to falsify.
Theory -> Hypothesis -> Observation -> confirmation.
What is the inductive approach?
Observation -> Pattern -> Tentative hypothesis -> Theory.
What does Thomas Khun say about Methodology?
He wrote about paradigms and scientific revolution.
He claims that scientists tend to stick to the paradigm and ignore evidence that goes against it.
His point of view says that sociology cannot be seen as a science since there is no accepted paradigm, it can only be a science if there is an agreed paradigm.
What does Andrew Sayer say about methodology?
The realistic view of science.
This is the belief that social reality, social structures and social currents have an existence over individuals. He believes that it is possible and desirable for sociology to be scientific, but should not leave out human behaviour and confine itself to observable fact.
What is critical social science?
Being critical of society to facilitate change.
It is not about finding objective knowledge that is gathered through a mechanical process. Researchers believe that knowledge is a process, knowledge can never be separated from values and research aims at revealing oppressive structures so that structures may be changed.
What do Feminists criticise in terms of methodology?
Male stream research for ignoring women’s issues.
Focusing in men and using male samples.
Disregarding gender variables.
What do Feminists argue in terms of methodology?
They argue that they have an advantage on male researchers, as they have a better understanding of the social world because they are a repressed group.
Male dominant research puts emphasis on detachment and reliability.
People are treated as mere sources of data.
What is a research method?
They are the tools used in order to conduct research.
What is the law of human behaviour?
Receiving the same results when a research is repeated, according to Comte.
What is a scientific law?
Something which is true in all circumstances.
What is the multivariate analysis?
Durkheim uses this approach, to isolate the effects of a particular independent valuable upon the dependent variable.
