human_inquiry_and_social_research_updated Flashcards
(21 cards)
Agreement Reality
What society ‘knows’ to be true (e.g., ‘The earth is flat’). Science challenges these assumptions.
Two Pillars of Science
Logic (makes sense internally) and Observation (aligns with experience).
Tolerance for Ambiguity
Science isn’t absolute; it’s an ongoing conversation where ideas evolve.
Paradigms
Frameworks that shape how we interpret the world.
Everyday Theories
Informal ideas about life, such as parenting or love.
Academic vs. Professional Research
Academic focuses on theory-building and testing; Professional research solves practical problems.
Core Ethical Guidelines
No harm, voluntary participation, anonymity, confidentiality, deception, debriefing, and IRB review.
Stanley Milgram’s Obedience Experiments
Demonstrated risks of authority but raised ethical concerns.
Objectivity and Ideology
Research can be misused to promote biased perspectives.
Three Purposes of Research
Exploration, Description, and Explanation.
Ideographic vs. Nomothetic
Ideographic focuses on individual cases; Nomothetic looks for general patterns.
Units of Analysis
The entities being studied, such as individuals, groups, or events.
Time Dimension
Cross-sectional (one point in time) vs. Longitudinal (over time) studies.
Designing a Research Project
Involves choosing topics, questions, and appropriate methods.
Measuring Reality
Challenges arise when researching non-physical phenomena (e.g., ghosts).
Levels of Measurement
Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, and Ratio scales.
Criteria for Measurement Quality
Reliability (consistency) and Validity (accuracy).
Indexes
Combine multiple indicators into a single score.
Likert Scale
Measures attitudes (e.g., Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree).
Semantic Differential
Measures meaning through opposing adjectives (e.g., Happy-Sad).
Typologies
Ferdinand Tönnies’ Gemeinschaft (community) vs. Gesellschaft (society).
