Key Studies Flashcards
(41 cards)
What did Laud Humphreys study in 1970?
Ethnographic study.
Studies casual sex between gay men in public toilets in the USA, referred to as ‘Tea Room Trade’ within the gay community.
Gay sex was illegal in the USA at this time.
His main method of research was observation, without gaining consent.
He pretended to be a ‘voyeur-lookout’.
A voyeur doesn’t join in but gets pleasure from watching the activities of others, a lookout warns of approaching police.
He furthered his research by tracking down men through their car number plates, saying the interview was a part of the healthy study.
what did Don Kulick study in 1966?
Used observation to study transsexual prostitutes in Brazil.
He rented a small room in a house with 13 transsexual prostitutes, referred to as ‘travesties’.
‘I associated with travesties pretty much continually during those 8 months…chatting with them…crowding onto a mattress with them as they lay watching late night action movies on television…I walked the streets with them at their various points of prostitution’.
What did Durkheim study in 1895?
Study entitles suicide examined the suicide rates of different groups in society.
He compared the following groups and using official statistics and finding that in each case the group on the left had a higher suicide rate then the group on the right.
For example; city dwellers, older adults, unmarried, married without children.
Members of each group on the left are more socially isolated than those on the right, having fewer ties to bind them together.
Relationship between social isolation and suicide.
What is J. Maxwell’s response to Durkheim?
Coroners have a picture of a typical suicide and a suicide victim.
For example; drowning, hanging, gassing and drug overdose are more likely to be seen as suicides.
The typical suicide victim is often seen a a lonely, friendless, isolated individual with few family ties.
What did Nigel Fielding study?
Conducted a study on the National front, which Fielding considered a racist organisation concerned with white supremacy.
Involved attending local meetings of the Front, during which he concealed his real reason being there.
He contributed discussions, appearing sympathetic to the Fronts beliefs.
What did Val Hey Study?
Studied friendship between girls.
Her observation was based on observations in two schools.
She would give the girls small gifts and excuses to miss lessons in exchange for cooperating in her research.
What did Howard Parker and his colleagues study?
Studied illegal drug use.
Responses to questionnaires revealed that individuals we not coping with their drug use.
The researchers had to decide whether to offer help to the individuals or maintain the confidentiality they had promised.
What did Albert Bandura study?
A group of nursery children watched an adult mistreatreating a Bobo doll.
They were then taken , one by one, to a room containing unattractive toys which included the Bobo doll and a mallet.
Which Bandura had predicted, those who had earlier watched the mistreatment of the Bobo doll were more likely to imitate this behaviour and show aggression towards the doll.
What did Elton Mayo study?
First observed at Hawthorne works of the Western Electricity Company in Chicago in the late 1920s.
The researchers aimed to discover variables affecting work productivity such as light, temperature and rest periods.
Productivity increased whether these variables where increased or decreased.
The only factor explaining their increase in productivity was the worker’s awareness that they were part of the experiment.
What is the National Readership Survey in 2000?
From a social survey, figures from social trends 2002.
The Sun was the most popular daily newspaper, read by 20% of adults.
What is the British Social Attitudes Survey?
It is an attempt to measure people’s belief in God.
Respondents were asked to choose the statement which best it their beliefs, operationalizing concepts.
What did Shere Hite study in 1994?
Report on family life in three western societies received a great deal of publicity.
More than one in four women ‘have no memory of affection from their father’.
Four out of ten fathers frighten their sons with violent tempers.
31% of women and girls report sexual harassment or abuse by a male family member.
Based on 3028 completed questionnaires.
Self selected volunteer sample.
Distributed 100,000 questionnaires mainly in magazines such as ‘Women against Fundamentalism in Britain’, typical feminist magazines.
What did Richard LaPiere study in the early 1930’s?
Travelled 10,000 miles across the USA with a young Chinese-American couple.
At the time there was widespread discrimination with Asians and a lack of laws preventing racial discrimination.
They visited 250 hotels and campsites and only once were they refused service.
LaPiere sent letter to all places they had visited asking; ‘will you accept members of a Chinese race?’
92% said no, 7% said uncretain and 1% said yes.
What did the office of National statistics study among children?
Analysis of research into childhood in the UK and high satisfaction as well as fears of bullying and crime.
77% of children aged 10-15 are satisfied with their lives.
12% reported being bullied and being a victim of crime.
What did James Patrick study?
‘A Glasgow Gang Observed’
He wanted to know the lives and lifestyles of the young men who were sent to an approved school.
He was introduced to to a Glasgow Gang by ‘Tim’ who acted as a gatekeeper and was able to smoothe over any problems with James’ unfamiliarity.
What did Declercq study?
Conducted observation in a nursing home, investigating the care of elderly people.
She highlighted the problem of remaining objective, ‘obviously i liked some of the staff better than others, and some of them liked me better than others’.
Her observations, she states, are bound to be influenced by what she felt.
What did John Williams study?
Used participant observation to investigate football hooligans.
His choice in research topic reflected his own interest in football and a current concern with bad behaviour during matches.
What did A H Halsey study?
Focused on social inequality in Modern Britain, especially in the education system.
The evidence that he and his colleagues collected in the 1950s and 1960s contributed to the decision to develop comprehensive schools to move away from selection at the age of 11.
What did Peter Townsend study?
Studied poverty and the ideas of ‘absolute poverty’ and ‘relative poverty’.
Poverty is socially constructed due to it not being related to money or possessions , but about living standards in comparison to those around them.
What did William Labov study?
Found that young black American children responded differently when interviewed in different contexts. Interviewed by a white interviewer in a formal setting, the children said little when asked to describe a toy jet plane. Labov produced evidence to show that the apparent linguistic deprivation was the result of interviewing techniques and not a genuine reflection of the children’s linguistic ability. When a Black interviewer rather than a white interviewer questioned children in a formal setting, they were more forthcoming. They demonstrated the best linguistic skills. Labov identified interviewer bias
What did Howard Becker study?
Study of becoming a marijuana smoker.
Used in-depth interviews with 50 users of drugs. Gained qualitative data, high in validity. But relatively small sample. Ethical problems with confidentiality.
Famously said “deviant behaviour is behaviour people so label”.
What did McCallister and Clark study?
Conducted in-depth interviews with 45 voluntarily childless women and with some of their partners. The study found that relatively few interviewees of either sex had made an early, irrevocable decision not to have children. Their choice of childlessness had come about slowly in the context of their work, personal health, relationships and other life events.
What did Ann Oakley study?
Oakley conducted 40 in-depth interviews with London housewives. The interviews took two hours and she tape recorded the conversations. The sample came from two different areas of London, one predominantly working class and the other predominantly middle class, further determined by the husband’s occupation. The participants were selected from medical records from two general practices. The housewives were aged between 20 and 30 and all were mothers with at least one child under five.
What did Venkatesh study?
Asked poor people and street gang questions, and openly declared his identity ie Sociologist. The community did not believe him and held Venkatesh hostage for 24 hours- believing he was from a rival gang. After realising Venkatesh was not a threat, he was sent to the Gang Leader who invited Venkatesh to study the gang.
