perspectives on research

8/4/2019 Perspectives on Research

1/17


2/17

What is science?

yA coherent body of thought based on established facts

which are derived from observation of the world byunprejudiced use of the senses.

y Objectivity, Generalization, Explanation


3/17

How does social research differ

from the natural sciences?

y Giddens: humans are self-aware beings who confersense and purposes on what they do.

y Hawthorne effect

y Researcher bias


4/17


5/17

Objectivityy Bernstein: some permanent, ahistorical matrix or

framework exists in determining reality

yValues do not enter into research

y Is it possible to be objective as a social researcher and

member of society?


6/17

Subjectivityy People exercise free will and make judgments

y Inner world of experiences instead of a world outthere

y Focus on meanings given by people, their

understandings and interpretations of their socialenvironments


7/17

Empiricism

Positivism

Realism

Idealism

Synthesizers

Postmodernism

Feminisms


8/17

*EmpiricismyA method of research which has not referred explicitly

to the theory guiding its data collection procedures

y facts exist independently of peoples interpretationsand therefore speak for themselves

y Data collection instruments must be refined andneutral and the researcher is detached from the social

world


9/17

*PositivismyAimed at collecting and assembling data on the social

world from which we can generalize and explain

human behavior through the use of theories

y Social life is explained in the same way as naturalphenomena: detachment of researcher and coming up

with laws based on environmental factors alone toexplain and predict behavior


10/17

*Realismy The social world does not simply exist independently

of peoples knowledge of it

y T

he knowledge people have of their social worldaffects their behavior

y This produces particular effects and tendencies to actin certain ways

yAims to uncover the underlying structures of socialrelations to understand existing practices and peoplesactions

y Consciousness is considered, as it reflects existingstructure and how it is reproduced


11/17

*Idealismy People create the social world

y Cause and effect does not apply to social life

y Methods must be different but not inferior to natural sciencey Participant observation, focused interviews: researchers

engagement as a tool towards understanding social life

yAimed at understanding the processes and rules on howpeople interpret the world and interact with each other(intersubjectivity)


12/17

Building bridgesy Reaction to subjectivism and naive empiricism

yAttempts of synthesizing the major perspectives:

y Giddens: structure is both enabling and constraining

y Bhaskar, Bourdieu, Habermas

y Poststructuralism: Derrida, Foucault


13/17

*Postmodernismy Knowledge is both local and contingent

yAnti-foundationalist, relativist

y Baudrillard: implosion of meaning leading to theworld being devoid of meaning

y Lyotard: computer age severs the link betweenknowledge and legitimacy


14/17

*Feminismsy Women and their fundamental contributions to social

and cultural life have been marginalized as reflected in

research practice

y The norms of science perpetuate and disguise themyth of superiority of men over women

y Gender as a significant social category has been absentfrom explanations of social phenomena


15/17

Feminisms general characteristicsy Critique of Scientific cloak

y nature or nurture?

y Private and public spheresy Androcentrism: gynopia and misogyny

y Reason and emotion

y Critique of disengagement


16/17

Feminisms - responsesy Empiricist: criticism is focused on the practice of science, not

on its foundations (Eichler: avoiding androcentrism,overgeneralization of findings, silence on socio-economicinfluences on gender relations, use of double standards)

y Standpoint: taking the disadvantage of womens exclusion asa starting point and unique opportunity for research.Biography and experiences are situated within the widercontext of womens lives in general, taking place in a

participatory way involving women.

y Relativist: rejection of science and truth. Womensexperiences and feelings are all equally valid in themselves as

there are multiple versions of reality.


17/17

Issues in Research Practicey Social science should reflect the aims and methods of

natural science

y

Methods of natural science are inapplicable to socialresearch

y The foundations and aims of science are male-centered and hierarchical

y Methodological choices must be reflexive of practicalconsiderations

perspectives on research

Documents