Theory and Methods

Question 1

Who believes that sociology is a science?

Answer 1

Positivists/ modernists

Question 2

Comte - sociology being a science

Answer 2

Comte deems the institution as a scientific way of approaching studying the social world

Question 3

Positivists belief of sociology being a science

Answer 3

They seek to establish a cause and effect relationship by using experimental methods as it allows to test a hypothesis in a systematic and controlled way. They believe the research should undergo inductive reasoning and verificationism

Question 4

Luke’s- sociology as a science

Answer 4

Sociology creates social facts and scientific facts.

Question 5

Inductive reasoning

Answer 5

accumulating data and patterns in research

Question 6

verificationism

Answer 6

verifying a theory when there is enough data to prove it true.

Question 7

Who believes that sociology is not a science?

Answer 7

Interpretivists

Question 8

Interpretivists belief of sociology being a science

Answer 8

Believe science studies unconscious things and topics but sociology studies conscious things and so scientific methods can’t be used to make sense of the world around and attach meaning to things

Question 9

Who believes sociology is not a science but could be

Answer 9

Popper, Kuhn, Realists

Question 10

Popper- sociology being a science

Answer 10

Believes science uses falsification and sets out to disprove things. Sociology has too many falsified arguments, but if something cannot be falsified it is the best version of the truth which sociology lacks.

Question 11

Kuhn- sociology being a science

Answer 11

Believe sociology is not a single paradigm following science ( provides principles and methods that people in the scientific community can work from and follow), Sociology can’t be a science as there isn’t an agreed paradigm that all sociologists work from

Question 12

Realists

Answer 12

Believe sociology isn’t a science but some aspects of society can be studied scientifically. There are open and closed systems of science. Sociology is an open system, however the underlying structures in society can be measured to observe the effects they have.

Question 13

Who believes the argument of if sociology is a science isn’t relevant and explanation

Answer 13

Postmodernists believe society is too fragmented and chaotic to find an absolute truth. Science is another version of the truth and so it is all objective.

Question 14

Who believes that sociology should be objective and value free

Answer 14

Comte and Durkheim

Question 15

Comte and Durkheim- sociology being subjective

Answer 15

Believe in the creation of a better society through progressivism, sharing modernist views. Believe that mimicking the enlightenment would make sociology appear to be respectable and academic discipline.

Question 16

Modernist beliefs of sociology being objective

Answer 16

Believe sociology is a science and the objective is to find out how society functions which would allow human life to be improved (enlightenment). Believe sociology should be value free.

Question 17

Who believes sociology should use values in their research

Answer 17

Interpretivists

Question 18

Weber- sociology being objective

Answer 18

Believes that values do and should have a presence in research rather than being value free like modernists believe

Question 19

Value Laden meaning

Answer 19

Values making up a part of research

Question 20

4 factors of Value Laden

Answer 20

.Values as a guide to research
.Data collection and hypothesis testing
.Values in interpretation of data
.Values and sociologist as a citizen

Question 21

Values as a guide to research

Answer 21

A sociologists values guides them in which areas of society they choose to study. (e.g feminists and the patriarchy)

Question 22

Data collection and hypothesis testing

Answer 22

It would be unethical to use values within research as it becomes biased and may result in false data being retrieved.

Question 23

Values in the interpretation of data

Answer 23

A sociologists interpretation of data and their theoretical position can determine what conclusions are drawn away from data

Question 24

Values and the sociologist as a citizen

Answer 24

A sociologist should be morally accountable for how their research is used after studying, and not ‘hide behind their research’.

Question 25

Committed sociologists view of objective sociology

Answer 25

Believe that values should make up a part of research and want their research to better society. Believe the values should be instilled in different ways: through the funding body or on behalf of society.

Question 26

Gouldner- values as a part of sociological research

Answer 26

Believe it is impossible for research to be value free: .Impossible because a sociologists values are bound to be reflected in their work .Undesirable as a sociologist should have meaning behind their work and not just have it at the disposal of others or a 'highest bidder'

Question 27

AO3 of Gouldner

Answer 27

He criticises the romantisation of an underdog, and believes a marxist approach should be applied to unmask the powerful position people maintain.

Question 28

Myrdal- Values as a part of sociological research

Answer 28

Sociologists should take sides, and removing their values from research is neither desirable or possible.

Question 29

Becker- Values as a part of sociological research

Answer 29

Believes that sociologists always take sides within their research, He argues that traditionally sociologists take the side of the powerful. He argues that sociologists should take the side of the 'underdog' rather than the powerful and rich. This is supported by Goffman who believes sociologists should seek to achieve verstehen.

Question 30

2 factors of the AO3 of values as a part of sociological research

Answer 30

.Considering funding bodies .Relativism and Postmodernism

Question 31

Considering funding bodies- AO3 of values as a part of sociological research

Answer 31

Believes that a funders values become a part of a sociologists research as they fund the research. Governmental bodies are able to control the relevance and influence of research as they can control when it's published. Seen as the conservative government published the Black Report on a bank holiday to reduce its audience. Sociologists also want to further their careers and so would choose popular topics as to increase their audience and the successfulness of their research. May also censor their research as to save their career and not damage it.

Question 32

Relativism and Postmodernism- AO3 of values as a part of sociological research

Answer 32

Relativists believe that there are plural truths within society where neither is more credible than another. Similarly, post modernists believe that no perspective has a special claim and all should be considered to be true.