Key Knowledge/Terms

Question 1

What is structuralism?

Answer 1

Human behaviour is dependent on structures in society ie religion.

Question 2

What is consensus theory?

Answer 2

Structures/institutions in society work collectively to help society function.

Question 3

What is structural differentiation?

Answer 3

Functions can overlap with different institutions.

Question 4

What is OBjective knowledge?

Answer 4

Something that can be tested and proven.

Question 5

What is SUBjective knowledge?

Answer 5

Someone’s opinion, no proof.

Question 6

What is primary data?

Answer 6

Gathered first hand by a researcher.

Question 7

What is secondary data?

Answer 7

Collected by someone else and then used by the researcher.

Question 8

Explain how to get objective knowledge.

Answer 8

1. Gather & analyse data.
2. Find & test correlation.
3. Develop & test theories.

Question 9

Name the types of data.

Answer 9

Primary
Secondary
Qualitative
Quantitative

Question 10

What is qualitative data?

Answer 10

Non-numerical info.

Question 11

What is quantitative data?

Answer 11

Numerical info.

Question 12

What is a positivist?

What is an Interpretivist?

Answer 12

Proving something with science

Proving something with social interaction & non-scientific info

Question 13

Explain PET and its relevance.

Answer 13

P = practical
E = ethical
T = theoretical

It is the method for approaching 20 mark method questions.

Question 14

What is the importance of the values of the researcher?

Answer 14

The researcher is unlikely to research something they do not deem important.

Question 15

What is the importance of professional interests?

Answer 15

Researchers want to further their career and may choose a topic which will gain them respect.

Question 16

What is the importance of funding?

Answer 16

Government funding is subjective to what the government prefers at that moment.

Question 17

What is the importance of fashionable topics?

Answer 17

What is popular in the news shifts the focus to what’s ‘important’.

Question 18

What is the importance of practicalities?

Answer 18

Whether the research is possible to do.

Question 19

What do Practical Issues include? (PET)

4

Answer 19

Time
Funding bodies
Personal traits of researchers
Subject matter (+ what it requires)

Question 20

What do Ethical Issues include? (PET)

5

Answer 20

Consent (inc. presumptive consent)
Confidentiality 
Danger & harm
Vulnerable groups
Covert research

Question 21

What is presumptive consent?

Ethical - PET

Answer 21

Some people need others to provide consent on their behalf.

Question 22

What do Theoretical Issues include? (PET)

4

Answer 22

Reliability (esp. for quantitative data)
Validity
Representativeness
Methodological perspective (consist of 2 main sociological groups: interpretivists/positivists).

Question 23

Explain what macro/micro is.

Answer 23

Macro = broad focus within society eg social groups

Micro = narrow focus within society eg individuals

Question 24

What is social dysfunction?

Answer 24

Any social pattern that affects stability in society.

Question 25

What are the main debates in sociology? | 4

Answer 25

Structure v social action Consensus v conflict Macro v micro Positivist v interactionist

Question 26

What is triangulation?

Answer 26

Looking at something through a range of angles, likely to involve both qualitative and quantitative data.

Question 27

What is covert research?

Answer 27

Hidden from participants, they're unaware that you're there.

Question 28

What are the advantages/disadvantages of covert research?

Answer 28

A = Behaviour is natural and therefore the study is valid. D = Could be considered unethical in certain situations.

Question 29

What is overt research?

Answer 29

Participants are aware of the research.

Question 30

What are the advantages/disadvantages of overt research?

Answer 30

A = Fewer ethical concerns D = Less trust from participants leads to less opportunity and the Hawthorne effect.

Question 31

What is participant research?

Answer 31

The researcher takes part

Question 32

What is non-participant research?

Answer 32

The researcher does not take part

Question 33

Define ethnographic.

Answer 33

Describing groups and differences between them.

Question 34

What do the main challenges of ethnographic research include? (4)

Answer 34

- Gaining acceptance from the group - Recording in a valid and reliable way - Being objective - Hawthorne effect