Sociologists Doing Research

2. Sociologists Doing Research What are the basics of effective research?

3. Grasping Lois Benjamin’s study of Sheba… • Looking at the personal as well as social..

4. Basics of Sociological Investigation.. • 1. Apply the “sociological perspective” • 2. Be curious and ask questions • 3. Consider different forms of “truth” - “belief” or “faith” - expert opinion - simple agreement between people - scientific, empirical evidence

5. Common Sense vs Scientific Evidence • Examples to consider.. • “Poor people are more likely than rich people to break the law” • “The US is a middle-class society in which most people are more or less equal” • “Most poor people don’t want to work” • “Differences in the behavior of females and males are just human nature” • “People change as they grow old, losing many interests as they focus on their health” • “Most people marry because they are in love”

6. Ways to “Do Sociology”.. • 1. Scientific • 2. Interpretive • 3. Critical

7. Basics of Scientific Sociology.. • Concepts – for description (ie. family) • Variable – concept that changes from case to case • Measurement – procedure for determining the value of a variable • Operationalize a variable • Reliability and Validity

8. More on Scientific Sociology.. • Cause and Effect • - Independent Variable – causes change • - Dependent Variable – variable that changes • - Correlation – relationship in which two variables change together • - Spurious correlation – apparent, but false relationship b/t two or more variables • - Control – holding variable(s) constant • Ideal of Objectivity • Replication

9. Limits of Scientific Sociology.. • Human behavior is too complex.. (example) • Presence of a researcher may affect behavior. • Social patterns change.. • Sociologists are not “value-free”

10. Now, Interpretive Sociology • Focus on meaning people attach to their social world. - focus on meaning attached to actions - focus on reality constructed by individuals - favors “qualitative” over “quantitative” data Weber’s concept of “Verstehen” is key

11. And, Critical Sociology.. • Karl Marx contributed.. • Focus on need for “social change” • Sociology as “politics”

12. Three Research Orientations in Sociology..(page 38) • A helpful guide that helps explain the common connections between theoretical perspectives and research methods.

13. Gender and Research… • Androcentricity • Overgeneralizing • Gender blindness • Double Standards • Interference

14. Research Ethics.. • Yes, there are ethics to consider.. 1.Being skillful and fair-minded 2.No harm done to subjects. 3.Funding sources disclosed. 4.Fed Govt. Funding? – reviewed. 5.Consider cultural specifics – Offensive?

15. Methods of Sociological Research? • Testing a Hypothesis – Experiment. 1. Specify the variable assumed to cause change and variable changed. 2. Measure initial value of dependent variable. 3. Expose dependent variable to independent variable. 4. Attempt to control other variables. 5. Again measure dependent variable to see what change took place.

16. The Hawthorne Effect • Examples from “Country Boys”?

17. Zimbardo’s “Stanford Prison Experiment”

18. Survey Research • Survey • Population • Sample • Questionnaire – w/ closed-ended format or open-ended format • Interview

19. In the Field: Participant Observation • Participant Observation • “Street Corner Society”

20. Using Available Data : Existing Sources • “A Tale of Two Cities” • Use of existing census data, school data, etc.

21. Ten Steps in Sociological Investigation.. • 1. What is your topic? • 2. What have others learned? • 3. What are your questions? • 4. What will you need to carry out research? • 5. Ethical concerns? • 6. What methods will be used? • 7. How will data be recorded? • 8. What do the data tell you? • 9. What are your conclusions? • 10. How can you share what you’ve learned?

23. Identifying Causation? Real World Example… • John Lott’s book, article & challenge

24. Common Procedures and Ethics of Sociological Research • Scientific Method (steps) • Sociological Code of Ethics • Review p. 58

25. Examples and Evaluation… • Sleep for Teens and the School Day article • Zogby Election Polls in New Hampshire • “Country Boys” on Frontline

26. What is Culture and how is it formed? Culture defined Society Instincts Reflexes and drives Nature vs. Nurture debate Sociobiology

27. How does language help create culture? • Symbols linklink • Sapir – Whorf Hypothesis of linguistic relativity

28. How do norms and values help to shape culture? • Norms • “Hidden Rules” • Folkways • Mores • Taboo • Laws (outdated and silly laws) • Formal Sanctions • Informal Sanctions • Values as basis for Norms

29. Looking Ahead to Chap 4 - The term…Socialization • Defined -> The cultural process of learning to participate in group life. • Examples….

30. How About the Voluntary Student Transfer Program? • Should it Continue? • Who should pay? • What are the benefits? • Drawbacks? • http://www.4teachers.org/

31. How do beliefs and materials shape culture? • Beliefs • Material Culture • Ideal Culture • Real Culture

32. How do Cultural Diversity and Similarities influence social relations? • Social Categories • Subculture • Counterculture linklink • Ethnocentrism • Cultural Universals • Cultural Particulars