Methods
of Sociological Research
Chapter
2: Sociology, Schaefer. 1995-2012
In 1971 Frances
Heussenstamm was interested in discovering whether or not bias and prejudice
impacted the way in which the police viewed and responded to everyday life events.
Heussenstamm conducted a field experiment. After selecting 15 students with
exemplary driving records, H. placed a Black Panther bumper sticker on each
car. The students followed their normal driving patterns. After 17 days the
15 drivers had amassed 33 traffic citations. Frances
K. Heussenstamm, "Bumper Stickers and Cops," 8 Trans-action: Social
Science and Modern Society (#4) 32-33 (February 1971)
In order to interpret and
discuss social reality we must first have a picture, some sort of pattern, or
an image of the interrelationships amongst the many variables that circumscribe
human interaction. The SCIENTIFIC METHOD or METHODOLOGY provides a systematic,
organized series of steps that insures maximum objectivity and consistency in
researching a problem. It provides a shared basis for discussion and analysis,
and helps to promote reliability and validity (consistency and accuracy). The
information provided through this method, the patterns and interrelationships
are then explained through Theoretical analysis. Theory directs research and
research informs theory (Reflexivity).
Science:
- Empirical, based on observation
- Focus: Causality (all
events have causes, same cause...same event); relationships between Variables,
what causes (is associated with) what? Independent and Dependent Variables, (see: Johnson's "Sociology of Christmas Cards).
- Causality vs Correlation:
Hume 18th century Scot.: temporal ordering (crime and drug use), probability,
logic
- Positive and negative
correlation
- Intervening variables--Spurious
Correlations
- Controls-holding
one variable constant in order to observe its impact on another.
- Crime: Age vs. Social
Class vs. Single Parent households
- Educational Success:
Social class vs. Intelligence
Qualitative vs Quantitative
Methods
- Weight and direction
of relationships (correlation coefficient)
- Probability vs specific
case
- Measures of central tendency:
Typical household, proportion of one group compared to another (median; Among race groups, real median income declined for white and black households between 2009 and 2010, while changes for Asian and Hispanic-origin households were not statistically different. Real median income for each race and Hispanic-origin group has not yet recovered to the pre-2001 recession all-time highs. Real
median income for 2010; mode; mean-problem
of skewing (mean income for 2010
$67,530 (down from $68,424 in 2008)
- Rates: Frequency with
specific populations (Unemployment: African Americans 3x higher than Whites)
- Sampling: Population
and Generalizability
- Representative
- Random:
1936 presidential race-Literary digest vs Gallop, Landon vs Roosevelt
Problems in Doing Social
Research:
- Hawthorne Effect
- People and Social Behavior--Complex;
Question of Ultimate Causes?
- Objectivity--Researcher
part of the phenomenon
- Harm:
Zeller and autocide, criminal activity.
- Privacy:
Garbology
- Informed
consent: Reiss and police brutality
- Deception:
Humphreys; Tearoom
Trade (see also: 1)
- Application
of Research: Project
Camelot
ASA Code of Ethics
(1971, 1989)
- Maintain
objectivity and neutrality in research.
- Respect
the subject's right to privacy and dignity.
- Protect
subjects from personal harm.
- Acknowledge
collaboration and assistance.
- Disclose
all sources of financial support.
The
Research Model
(Sharon Collin's
Study of corporate hiring practices and Black executive. Issue: Black Demands
(control: Time-1965; pre--gov or private, post--70% private), BUT: "Administratively
marginal" and "economically vulnerable"--racially linked jobs:
Affirmative action, urban affairs, reduced likelihood of advancement and
subject to 'downsizing'; yet highly visible.)
- Define the
Problem: what you hope to investigate. Operationalize concepts (intelligence,
love, etc.)
- Review
the literature: what has already been done? Replication studies, build on
existing knowledge.
- Formulate
the Hypothesis: tentative statement of relationship between independent and
dependent variables.
- Choose
Research Design (cost, time, access), Collect and Analyze
- Conclusions
and Reporting .
Observational/P.O.:
- Reveals intimate details,
uncovers new information. Descriptive; problems: Generalizability.
- Examples:
- Foote-Whyte:
Street Corner Society-the slum as disorganized or differentially organized?
"By mapping the intricate social worlds of street gangs and "corner
boys," Whyte was among the first to demonstrate that a poor community
need not be socially disorganized. His writing set a standard for vivid
portrayals of real people in real situations. And his frank discussion
of his methodology--participant observation--has served as an essential
casebook in field research for generations of students and scholars."
(University of Chicago Press book review, http://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/S/bo3684722.html
see also: Whyte. "Revisiting "Street Corner Society."" http://www.jstor.org/stable/684639
- Sudnow
and Emergency Rooms-Double standard (group process)
- Goffman's
work-Behavior
in Public, Asylums
- Liebow:
Talley's Corner
- Unobtrusive
Observational Methods
Surveys: Interviews and Questionnaires
- Polls:
General Social Survey, Monitoring the Future (drug use)
- Blumstein
& Schwartz--American Couples (1975). Operationalize: Live together
and sexual relationship. Snowballing. Q and I. Findings: Income and control,
Infidelity: longer relationship, more infidelity, hetero married highest
fidelity, lesbians high fidelity
- Kristen
Luker: Pro-Anti Abortion. Findings: Birth Control and Social Costs.
Experiment:
Use of Existing Sources:
Secondary analysis, Content analysis.
ISSUES: Value Neutrality
(Weber vs Gouldner) and Government Funding.
URL: http://www.umsl.edu/~keelr/010/method.html
Owner: Robert O. Keel rok@umsl.edu
References and
Credits for this Page of Notes
Last Updated:
Wednesday, January 4, 2017 11:26 AM