T2 - Objectivity and Values Flashcards
(30 cards)
What are values?
They are important to us and they will often guide our actions.
Who believes we can be value FREE, and Soc can be studied without our values having influence?
Classic sociologists, such as Positivists like Durkheim, Marx, and Comte.
Who believes that because we are studying humans, research is going to be VALUE-LADEN (values do come in) ?
Weber
Who believes we should ENCOURAGE our research having values in it?
Committed sociologists: Interpretivists like Myrdal, Gouldner, and Goffman
What do Comte and Durkheim believe?
Believe in the creation of a better society through Progressivism, which was no about subjective matters or personal opinion, but rather they shared MODERNIST beliefs.
What happened during the enlightenment?
Science was praised as having a progressive attitude, so positivists such as Comte believed that mimicking it would make Soc appear to be respectable and academic discipline
What do Modernist Beliefs do?
Hold that Sociology is a science, and the true objective or goal was to discover how society functions, which would allow for social problems to be solved and human life improved (which is the goal of enlightenment). They therefore believe that Soc should be value-free.
What was claimed about Durkheim’s study of suicide?
Was claimed to be completely detached and he said that no personal values/beliefs influenced the research.
Who is Weber and what does he believe?
Weber, as an interpretivist, is critical of Modernist thinkers (like Durkheim and Marx). Weber believes that values do and should have a presence in research, but not always.
Values as a guide to research (Weber)
Sociologists actively choose the areas of society they want to study and therefore their values guide them on this. For example, a Feminist is going to want to study patriarchy and a Marxist will want to study class inequality.
Data collection and hypothesis testing (Weber)
Although there are values throughout the research, Weber argued that sociologists should be value-free when it comes to data collection. Otherwise it would be unethical and could end up in false data being collected.
Values in the interpretation of data (Weber)
Drawing conclusions depends on the theoretical position of the sociologist collecting the data.
Example - role allocation in schools is interpreted as positive for Functionalists and negative for Marxists.
Values and the sociologist as a citizen (Weber)
The sociologist/researcher should not hide behind their research and must be MORALLY accountable for the uses their research is put to.
Example - Einstein’s Law of Physics was put to use in the development in the development of the atomic bomb, even though he was opposed to this.
Sociologists should not hide behind ‘VALUE FREEDOM’
What do committed sociologists want to do?
Want to conduct research to help better society and think that values are enforced. Whether that is values being instilled on behalf of the FUNDING BODY, or values being instilled to represent the UNDERDOG (those that are typically underrepresented and cannot do it themselves)
What is the first part of Gouldner’s theory? (Committed Sociologist)
Prior to 1950, Sociologists used their values to investigate problems they could find. This often threatened/challenged the STATUS QUO, which therefore disrupted the SOCIAL ORDER.
What is the second part of Gouldner’s theory? (Committed Sociologist)
During the latter part of the 20th Century, Gouldner claims that these sociologists then become the ‘PROBLEM TAKERS’ who work on behalf of organisations (people in power) to take on and solve their problems. Problem takers do not rock the boat, therefore maintaining the Status Quo
What are the two reasons Gouldner presents to explain why it is impossible to be VALUE FREE?
- IMPOSSIBLE - either the sociologists/paymasters values are bound to be reflected in their work.
- UNDESIREABLE - without values to guide research, sociologists are putting their services at disposal of the highest bidder - that is, they put their own values aside to do research for the money, which is not what Sociologists should be about.
Gouldner AO3? (Committed Sociologists)
Criticises romanticising the position of the UNDERDOG, and states that he only looks at groups who are ‘on their backs’.
He instead argues that a Marxist approach should be adopted by unmasking the ways the powerful maintain their position.
What does Myrdal say about the use of values in research? (Committed Sociologist)
Argues that sociologists should not only spell out their values, like Weber, but they should also TAKE SIDES.
Myrdal argues that it is neither possible/desirable to keep values out of research.
What does Becker, an Interactionist, believe about Sociologists? (Committed Sociologists)
Believes that sociologists always take sides.
Argues that traditionally sociologists take the sides of the powerful, e.g the police, psychiatrists etc… Becker however argues that rather than taking the sides of the OVERDOG (the powerful), sociologists should take the side of the UNDERDOG (the criminals, mental patients, and other powerless groups).
How does Goffman back up Beckers theory about values in research?
Backs this up and says that sociologists should use qualitative methods to seek VERSTEHEN.
How can Sociologists funding bodies influence research? (AO3 Values)
Often funded by agencies rather than by themselves. Means that the Funder’s Values become part of the research.
How can Governmental bodies become influential? (AO3 Values)
Can also become influential in terms of the ‘relevance’ the research may hold.
How did the Conservative Government influence the relevance of the Black Report? (AO3 Values)
The Black Report was published relating to class inequality. The Conservative Gov however published it over a bank holiday, reducing the audience who would read it.
Therefore the research and its success is influenced by the values of the funding body.
