02 research ppt

8/18/2019 02 Research PPT

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Chapter 2

Sociological Research

Methods


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What is Sociological Inquiry?

• Is the systematic analysis of themotivations and behavior ofindividuals within groups


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W!" IS S#CI#$#%IC&$ R'S'&RC!('C'SS&R"?


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Common Sense andSociological Research

• Common sense may tell us thatpeople who threaten suicide willnot commit suicide

–Sociological research indicatesthat people who threaten to )illthemselves may attemptsuicide


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Common Sense andSociological Research

• Common sense may tell us thatsuicide is caused by despair ordepression

–Research shows that some youngerpeople commit suicide becausethey believe there is no way out of

their problems


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• !istorically* the commonsense view ofsuicide was that it was a sin* a crime* and amental illness

•

'mile +ur)heim related suicide to the issueof cohesiveness in society

– In Suicide* +ur)heim documented hiscontention that a high suicide rate was

symptomatic of large,scale societalproblems

– !is approach to research still influencesresearchers


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+iscussion

• Why is it important to rely onresearch rather than personale-perience?


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!ow Much +o "ou .now &boutSuicide?

• True or False?

– In the /nited States* suicide occurs onthe average of one every 01 minutes


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• True

– & suicide occurs on the average of every01 minutes in the /nited States

– his differs with respect to the se-*race3ethnicity* and age of the individual

• Men are four times more li)ely to )ill

themselves than are women


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• True or False?

– &lcohol and drugs are outlets for angerand thus reduce the ris) of suicide


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• False

– '-cessive use of alcohol or drugs mayenhance a person4s feelings of anger

and frustration* ma)ing suicide agreater possibility

• his ris) appears to be especially high formen who abuse alcohol or drugs


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Sociology and Scientific'vidence

• Sociology involves debunking,unmas)ing false ideas or opinions

• here are two approaches toanaly5ing issues involving values6

– (ormative

– 'mpirical


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he (ormative &pproach

• he normative approach usesreligion* customs* habits* traditions*and law to answer important

questions – It is based on beliefs about what is right

and wrong and what 7ought to be8 in

society


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he 'mpirical &pproach

• he empirical approach attempts toanswer questions through systematiccollection and analysis

– his is referred to as the scientificmethod* and is based on the assumptionthat )nowledge is gained by direct*

systematic observation


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Sociology and ScientificStandards

• wo basic scientific standards mustbe met6

– Scientific beliefs should be supported by

good evidence or information

– hese beliefs should be open to publicdebate and critiques from other

scholars* with alternative interpretationsbeing considered


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ypes of 'mpirical Studies

• Descriptive studies attempt to describesocial reality or provide facts about somegroup* practice* or event

– +esigned to find out what is happeningto whom* where* and when

• Explanatory studies attempt to e-plaincause and effect relationships and toprovide information on why certain eventsdo or do not occur


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heory and Research Cycle

• & theory is a set of logically interrelatedstatements that attempts to describe*e-plain* and 9occasionally: predict social

events

• Research is the process of systematicallycollecting information for the purpose oftesting an e-isting theory or generating anew one


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!' S#CI#$#%IC&$R'S'&RC! ;R#C'SS


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Research can be quantitativeor qualitative• Quantitative research focuses on

data that can be measurednumerically 9comparing rates of

suicide* for e-ample:

• Qualitative research focuses oninterpretive description rather than

statistics to analy5e underlyingmeanings and patterns of socialrelationships


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Conventional ResearchModel

0 Select and define the researchproblem

2 Review previous research


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• Hypothesis>a statement of therelationship between two or more concepts – '-ample6 +epression causes suicide

•

he independent variable is presumed tocause or determine a dependent variable – '-ample6 depression

• he dependent variable is assumed to

depend on or be caused by the independentvariable – '-ample6 suicide


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+evelop the research design

@ Collect and analy5e the data

In random sampling* every member ofan entire population being studied hasthe same chance of being selected

In probability sampling* participants

are deliberately chosen because theyhave specific characteristics includingage* se-* race3ethnicity* or education


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• 1 +raw conclusions and report thefindings

alidity is the e-tent to which a study or

research instrument accurately measureswhat it is supposed to measure

Reliability is the e-tent to which a studyor research instrument yields consistent

results when applied to differentindividuals at one time or to the sameindividuals over time


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R'S'&RC! M'!#+S


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Research Methods60Survey Research

• & survey is a poll in which the researchergathers facts or attempts to determine therelationships among facts

– Respondents are persons who provide datafor analysis

– Questionnaire>a printed researchinstrument containing a series of items

–

!ntervie">a data collection encounter inwhich an interviewer as)s the respondentquestions and records the answer


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+iscussion

• !ave you ever been as)ed toparticipate in a survey? What didyou thin) of the e-perience?


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Research Methods6Secondary &nalysis of '-isting +ata

• Researchers use e-isting materialand analy5e data that were

originally collected by others• Sources include public records*

official reports* and data from earlier

surveys


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Research Methods6=ield Research

Field Research A is the study of sociallife in its natural setting6 #bserving andinterviewing people where they live*wor)* and play %enerates observationsthat are best described verbally ratherthan numerically


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&pproaches to =ieldResearch

• #articipant observation – Collecting observations while part of the

activities of the group being studied• $ase %tudy , &n in,depth* multifaceted

investigation of a single event* person* orsocial grouping

– & collective case study involves multiplecases


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&pproaches to =ieldResearch

• &nstructured intervie" – an e-tended* open,ended interaction

between an interviewer and aninterviewee


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Research Methods6'-periments

• '-periments are carefully designedsituations in which the researcherstudies the impact of certain variablesand subBects4 attitudes or behavior – Experimental group>the group that

contains the subBects who are e-posed toan independent variable

– $ontrol group>the group containing thesubBects that are not e-posed to theindependent variable


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'!IC&$ ISS/'S I(S#CI#$#%IC&$ R'S'&RC!


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&S& Code of 'thics

Sociologists must follow the &mericanSociological &ssociation4s Code of 'thics

0 +isclose research findings in full andinclude all possible interpretations of thedata

2 Safeguard the participants right to

privacy and dignity while protectingthem from harm


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&S& Code of 'thics


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+iscussion

• Why is it important to abide by theethical guidelines?


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Roles of the Sociologists

• &s Social reformer

• &s an &dministrator

•

& Research Scientist• & teacher

• & policy consultant

• &s a technician


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References•

Colon* Salvacion 2DD1 Sociology6 &Simplified &pproach

• .endall* +iana 2D0


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he end

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