Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Theories and Methods > Topic 1: quantitative research methods > Flashcards

Topic 1: quantitative research methods Flashcards

1
Q

what data do positivists prefer

A

numerical data

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

what data do interpretivists prefer

A

qualitative data

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

what type of study is the Hawthorne effect

A

behavioural study

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

what is the expectancy effect

A

researchers expect behaviours from participants

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

what is validity

A

is it true what you are measuring

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

what do positivists believe

A
  • positivists like science
  • model research method on natural science
  • produce objective, true scientific knowledge
  • they like cause and effect
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

what do interpretivists believe

A
  • prefer qualitative data
  • they like things that gives us a “feel” for what something is like
  • they favour deeper meaning
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

what are the key features of Lab experiments

A

control and cause and effect

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

why is control a key feature of lab experiments

A
  • lab experiments are in a controlled environment.
  • lab is an artificial environment
  • good to test hypothesis because you can change the variables
  • subjects split into experimental (iv) and control group
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

why is cause and effect a key feature of lab experiments

A
  • the conditions of both groups are measured before and after.
  • discover cause and effect relationships
  • this allows us to predict future outcomes
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

what do sociologists Keat and Urry suggest about open systems ? (practical issues)

A

lab experiments are only suitable for studying closed systems where the researchers control all the variables.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

why are lab experiments unsuitable for studying social phenomena? (practical issues)

A

because society is an open system with countless variables

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

what is the practical issue of complexity

A

no two humans are alike, impossible to match experimental groups

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

what is the practical issue of studying the past

A

lab experiments cannot be used to study the events in the past.
cannot keep people in lab experiments for a long time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

what type of samples can laboratory experiments study ? (practical issues)

A

can only study small samples e.g. impossible to study members of a major religion.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

disadvantage of small samples (practical issues)

A

small samples risk the appearance of variables just being a chance correlations

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

what is the Hawthorn effect ? (practical issues)

A

1920s factory, subjects responding to the researcher rather than the variables

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

what are expectancy effect (practical issues)

A

experimenter bias what the researcher expects to happen can affect the outcome

19
Q

what are the main ethical issues in conducting experiments on human beings

A

informed consent and harm subject

20
Q

what is informed consent (ethical issue)

A

participants should be informed of the nature of the experiments, however, this is self-defeating as they may act differently.

21
Q

what is harm to subjects (ethical issues)

A

some argue that minor harm can be justified to yield social benefits. if the experimental group are benefitting from treatment it should be given to the control group as well

22
Q

what theoretical strengths do positivists believe lab experiments have

A
  • reliability, experimenter can control the conditions, produces quantitative data so steps can be re-run
  • very detached method.
  • effects the way to test the hypothesis and make predictions
23
Q

what theoretical limitations do positivist believe lab experiments have

A
  • representativeness, lack external validity, due to only studying small samples and artificial conditions.
  • internal validity, findings may not be true e.g. Hawthorne effect may produce invalid results
  • interpretivists argue that humans are not robots have free will and can make their own choices
24
Q

how are field experiments different to lab experiments

A
  • takes into place the subjects surrounding

- those involved not know that they are subjects

25
Q

strength of a field experiment

A

-avoids artificial conditions of lab experiments, much more nature and valid for life.

26
Q

limitations of field experiment

A
  • less control over variable cannot be certain that we have identified the real cause
27
Q

examples of correspondence tests (field experiments)

A

Brown and Gay studied racial discrimination in the workplace, sent to 1000 applications from three ethnicities

28
Q

why are field experiments seen as unethical

A

involve carrying out an experiment on subjects without their knowing or consent

29
Q

what is the comparative method

A

-carried out only in the mind of the sociologist -“thought” . relies on re-analysing secondary data that has already been collected

30
Q

strength of the comparative method

A

artificiality: avoids artificial conditions
past events: can be used to study the past
ethics; avoids harming subjects

31
Q

limitation of comparative method

A

variables: less control over variables

32
Q

what are close-ended questionnaires

A
  • “force choice” questionnaire
  • limited possible answers
  • pre coded for analysis
33
Q

what are open ended questionnaires

A
  • free to answer how they choose to

- no pre-selected choices

34
Q

practical strengths of questionnaires

A
  • time and costs: quick and way to gather large amounts of data.
  • no need for interviews.
  • easy to quantify results.
35
Q

practical limitations of questionaires

A
  • validity- cannot be sure it was the respondent who completed the questionnaire
  • response rates: can be low may need follow up questionnaires
  • inflexible: cannot explore new areas of interest
36
Q

theoretical positivists strengths of using hypothesis testing?

A
  • enables sociologists to identify cause and effect relationships. establish correlations the construct hypothesis
  • reliability: use of Q’s identical to the original one. “standardised measuring instrument”. can’t be checked by another researcher
  • representativeness: large scale, cover wide geographical areas. use sophisticated sampling techniques
37
Q

theoretical interpretivists limitations of questionnaires-

A
  • detachments must use methods that involve us closely with people we research to get a valid picture. . cannot clarify questions e.g., cultural differences
  • lying/forgotten: Schofield “are you a virgin” to “no not yet”. try to second guess or give a respectable answer impossible to tell whether they are telling the truth.
38
Q

examples of statistics?

A

registration: births
official survey: census/general house survey
admin records: held by hospitals, courts and schools

39
Q

what type of method is statistics?

A

quantitative method

40
Q

what are the practical advantages of official statistics?

A

costs: free sources of huge data
power: the state has the power to compel people to answer, reduces low response rate
comparisons: compare social groups and religions
trends: show patterns over time

41
Q

what are the practical disadvantages of official statistics?

A

Agender: government creates statistics for it’s own purposes, also may be non available.
Inaccuracy: two sets of data may cover different populations
Definitions: may differ / change from those sociologists use

42
Q

what are the theoretical issues that positivists have with official statistics?

A

representativeness: large scale and often cover the whole populations, great care is taken from sampling selections e.g. crime survey 38,000
however, census coders may make errors or public may not fill in form correctly.

43
Q

what are the theoretical issues that positivists have with official statistics?

A

social constructs: statistics are not real, represent labels attached to people.
soft statistics: admin records, less valid as they represent decisions e.g. schools decision of what truancy is.
hard statistics: more valid, little dispute how categorises are defined and legal requirements

Theories and Methods (10 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions