{ research ethics in sociology. remember sociology is a type of science knowledge is based on...
DESCRIPTION
1. Choose a topic/Identify a problem 2. Review literature 3. Form a hypothesis 4. Choose a research method 5. Collect data 6. Analyze results 7. Make conclusion/Share your research Research MethodTRANSCRIPT
{Research & Ethicsin Sociology
Remember… Sociology is a type of science
Knowledge is based on direct, systematic observation
Knowledge is based on empirical evidence Information verified by the human senses
through the gathering of data
Sociologists strive for objectivity Evidence must be collected/evaluated in a
fair manner without bias State of personal neutrality
Sociology as a Scientific Study
1. Choose a topic/Identify a problem2. Review literature3. Form a hypothesis4. Choose a research method5. Collect data6. Analyze results7. Make conclusion/Share your
research
Research Method
Select a Topic Social construct
Preindustrial, Industrial, Postindustrial
Culture & Components Pop culture, Folk culture, &
Subcultures
Globalization
Social structure Status, role, in-group, out-
group
Social institutions Religion, Government, Economy
Socialization and Development
Deviant behavior Social control Crime Social inequality
Race, Class, Gender, Age
Can Stringent Laws Force Morality?
Causes and Impact of Emotional, Financial, and Physical Abuse of the Elderly
Teenage Suicide: Why it Happens and What to do About it
An Analysis of Harsh and/or Capital Punishment for Sex Offenders
How Does Over-Crowding Affect Human Beings?
Should School Uniforms be Banned?
List of Phobias and their Effect on Personality
The Rise of Divorces in Society - an Analysis
Solitary Confinement and its Emotional Effects
Gay Adoption and its Legal and Ethical Aspects
The Impact of Hate Crimes on Victims and Communities
Example Topics
Select a topic/Identify a problem What do you want to
know about? Narrow your topic
Examples: How does the existence of
welfare impact individuals of lower socioeconomic status?
Do women truly make less money than men?
How does the presence of alcohol impact its usage by young people?
Review the literature What is already known
about the problem?
Does the topic warrant further study?
Researchers are constantly testing reliability of research Does their research
generate the same findings?
Form a hypothesis Statement of what you
expect to find Predicts relationship
between variables (factors that change)
Examples: Students who use
marijuana will do worse in school than those that do not use marijuana.
Teachers who teach freshmen will lose more hair over a 5 year period than those teachers that teach upperclassmen.
Choose a research method Experiment Survey Observation
Which form of research suits your study?
Example: Researcher wants to
determine the impact of spousal abuse on women
Which research method should he/she use?
Collecting Data Is your data valid?
Did you actually measure what you intended to measure?
Analyzing the results
What correlations exist? Patterns, connections,
relationships
If conducting an experiment, was your hypothesis confirmed?
Sharing the results Share with the
scientific community
How did your research compare with the literature you have reviewed?
Choosing a Research Method
Participant Observation Systematic observations made while
joining in routine activities Involves
Interviewing Participating Observing
Examples: How does abuse affect dating patterns? How does gang membership impact socioeconomic
status?
Ethical Concerns:• Deceiving
respondents about reason for your presence
Examples: Recording racial differences in student’s
self-seating patterns in the lunchroom
Researcher sitting in McDonalds observing eating habits of men vs. women
Previous study revealed: We humans laugh 30 times more often in
social situations than in solitary situations
Naturalistic Observation
Choosing a Research Method Surveys
Series of questions via questionnaire or interview
Select a sample population Who will take your survey? Random sampling
Open-ended vs. Close-ended questions Open-ended: Allows subjects to answer in their own
words Close-ended: Select from a response list
Neutral questions to avoid bias Biased question: “Many people have said that there is a need
for stricter laws on dangerous weapons. Do you agree?”
Survey ExamplesClose-ended
Open-ended
Surveys
Advantages: Quick administration
& analysis (close-ended questions)
Open-ended questions create opportunity to answer in own words
Interviews allow researcher to further control situation
Disadvantages: Difficult to
construct questions without bias
Close-ended Difficult to get in-
depth info.
Open-ended questions Can make it
difficult to compare answers
Question of honesty
Survey/QuestionnaireIntroductions
What type of information is included in the example introductory statements
used for surveys/questionnaires?
Survey/Questionnaire Introductions
Purpose of research
Voluntary participation
Confidentiality Information kept in confidence, in secret
Anonymity Participation remains anonymous, or unknown
Case Study Obtaining detailed information about an individual or group to develop general principles about behavior
Can be combined with diaries, tests, interviews
Example: Studies on
chimpanzees revealed their capacity for learning language
Advantages: Useful in studying
rare disorders or circumstances
Can generate new questions/topics
Disadvantages: Requires a lot of
time, effort, attention to detail
Choosing a Research Method Experiment
Independent variable Something that causes a change in another
variable
Dependent variable Variable that is changed
Experimental group Exposed to independent variable
Control group Group not exposed to independent variable
Often given placebo
Human
subjects
RandomAssignmen
t(Allows for controlling of other variables
Experimental Group
Control Group
Exposure to
independent variable
No exposure
to independent variable
1st measure of
dependent variable
2nd measure of dependent
variableExperimental group
Control group
Other Forms of Research Documents
Books Newspapers Bank records Government
documents
Secondary Analysis Reviewing data that
has already been collected
Unobtrusive Measures Observations made
unknowingly Taping calls One-way mirror
Issues: Ethical observations Advantage – no
change in behavior of subjects
Researcher wants to determine: How many student athletes at a college failed one
or more courses and how were they able to make up the course credit.
Whether involvement in karate leads to more violent behavior.
The extent of cheating in high school age students.
The impact of a presidential campaign on campaign workers.
Conducting Research Examples
Survey
Case Study or Experiment
Survey
Naturalistic Observation
Ethics in Research Sociologists must be
committed to: Openness Honesty Truth Protecting subjects from
harm
Max Weber: Social research should be
“value free” Set aside personal beliefs
Be objective in research
Replication is stressed for comparison of results
American Sociological Association (A.S.A.) Code of Ethics
Subjects entitled to biographical anonymity
Sociologists must get consent to avoid invasion of privacy
Do no harm Embarrassment Mental trauma Job loss Legal penalty
Simple Rules:• Consider reliability of subjects• Keep subjects best interests in
mind
Unit 1 Review Auguste Comte
Founder & Positivism
Emile Durkheim Suicide rates Sociology as academic discipline
Max Weber Conflict theorist – religion Ideal type
Karl Marx Conflict theorist – economics
Jane Addams Social reformer Worked with immigrants & women
W.E.B DuBois Social reformer Relations between black & white
C. Wright Mills Sociological imagination
Sociology – study of society and human behavior
Perspectives Structural-functionalist Symbolic- interactionist Conflict
Function vs. Dysfunction Positive vs. Negative
Manifest vs. Latent function Intended vs. Unintended
Research methods Observation Survey/Interview Case Studies Experimentation
Hypothesis vs. Theory
ASA’s Code of Ethics Do no harm; Privacy; Confidentiality