Dr. H taking a nap!

All these theories! How do we apply them? And what do we apply them to? It’s exhausting!

Not to worry… Research helps us “sniff it out” and is informed by our perspectives e.g., conflict, functional Symbolic interaction

Two major analytical approaches “Skip Rock” Quantitative (measurable phenomena) Opinion polls, surveys – e.g., church attendance Based on the goal of “objectivity” (cause and effect) “Conventional approach”

“Anchor” Qualitative -- gathers information by using interpretation to get at deeper meanings Words rather than statistics to describe findings “why” versus “how often”

In a Research Study, Scientists: Ask a question Or test a hypothesis –The more social networks one is involved in, the less likely he/she is to consider suicide. 2 What are the social conditions that influence suicide?

Deductive versus Inductive Variables are measurable Hypothesis – statement of expected relationships. Deductive – general to specific Inductive – specific to general

Aim of social research is …… Operationalization – specify what is to be studied Variables = a characteristic that can change in value or magnitude under different conditions –Attitudes –Behaviors –Traits Independent (cause) /dependent (outcome) Suicide – Independent of other social phenomena or dependent?

The Empirical Approach The empirical approach attempts to answer questions through systematic collection and analysis. –This is referred to as the scientific method, and is based on the assumption that knowledge is gained by direct, systematic observation.

Question In the book Suicide, Emile Durkheim used the _____ as the independent variable to determine its influence on the dependent variable, the rate of suicide. a.degree of social integration in society b.proportion of mental illness in society c.degree of the spread of hysteria in the late 19 th century d.degree of religious participation

Sample—The part of the population that is studied »- Probability sample—each person or thing has an equal chance of being selected; results can be generalized to the larger population »- Nonprobability sample— researchers rely on convenience or availability or theoretical perspective 2 Types of Samples

If Suicide rate is DV – what might be some IVs? Religiosity? Married? Membership in social institutions?, strong or weak ties? Poor? Wealthy?

Using the conventional quantitative approach --- sociologists talk about correlation—the relationship between variables—rather than causation. Using the qualitative approach --- sociologists look for meaning and cause as it’s explained by the population being studied. 2 Correlation v. Causation

Correlation exists when two variable are associated more frequently than could be expected by chance.

Functionalists might ask Suicide: “How do strong or weak social bonds in society correlate with suicide rates?” To find out they might compare church attendance with suicide attempts. They might look at whether people who are married are less likely to commit suicide.

Conflict theorists might ask “Do class pressures such as income correlate with suicide rates?” To find out they might compare incomes and suicide attempts. They might look at whether those who are poor are more likely to commit or attempt suicide than those who are wealthy.

Symbolic Interactionists might ask “Does confusion over roles affect whether one commits suicide?” To find out they might interview people who have attempted suicide to see how they interpreted their situations. They might look at whether people interpret it as a cry for help. They might talk to family members of the victim to find out what the everyday life of the person was like.

Other terms you need to know. Validity (accuracy) –Reliability (consistent) If we calculate a the suicide rate among teens, will the answer always be the same? Replicable (similar results) Verification (prove?)

Question In a medical study, lung cancer could be the _____ variable, while smoking could be the ______ variable. a.dependant, independent b.independent, dependant c.valid, reliable d.reliable, valid

What are some other research methods….. Surveys are most widely used with random sampling (everyone in the sample had the same chance of being picked for that study)

Have you ever been asked to participate in a survey? What did you think of the experience?

Surveys Questionnaires and interviewsQuestionnaires and interviews Strengths: inexpensive, easy to administer, fast turn-around rate, ease in acquiring sensitive informationStrengths: inexpensive, easy to administer, fast turn-around rate, ease in acquiring sensitive information Weaknesses: low response rate, possibility of inaccurate informationWeaknesses: low response rate, possibility of inaccurate information 3

3 Critical Thinking And Surveys

Interviews (standardized and open- ended) Secondary analysis (already collected)

Field Research Observing people in their natural surroundings Includes participant observation Ethnography Pure observation Face-to-face interviewing 3

The approach where the researcher collects information or data and then generates theories from analysis of the data is called: a.inductive b.deductive c.quantitative d.qualitative

ETHICAL ISSUES IN SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH

Basic Ethical Considerations Must obtain subjects' consent Must not harm participants Must honor all guarantees Must describe the limitations Must identify sponsors Must acknowledge contributions 4

Protecting Subjects: Misleading Subjects: The Humphreys Research