Objectivity and Values

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  • Created by: elliepeck
  • Created on: 08-06-15 12:38
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  • Objectivity and Values
    • Early Positivists
      • Early positivist such as functionalism thought that research into the creation of a better society needed to be value free and subjective- FREE OF PERSONAL OPINION
      • Early Functionalists believed that with enlightenment project enabled them to study society in a highly scientific way and use factual information to help improve society. NOT BE BIAS
    • Max Weber
      • Positivists say that facts are revealed by science and our values ar eour own and should not be used when studying society.
        • Weber disagrees with this!
      • weber says that we cannot deprive our value judgement and facts from one another.
      • In Webers view someone's value cannot be proved or disproved by facts. THEY BELONG IN DIFFERENT SPHERES.
      • Interpretivists say that sociologists cannot be truly objective
        • Sociologists will make judgements based on their own values- even if they try to keep their own values out of their research.
    • Modern Positivists
      • By the 20th century positivists argued that sociologists research should be completely value free.
        • 1.) Deciding  what to research - Use values
        • 3.) Values should influence how the sociologist interprets evidence
        • 4.) Sociologists should take responsibility for the values they hold.
        • 2.) Values should be kept out of the data collection process as validity is compromised.
    • Committed sociology
      • Similar to interpretivistssociologists should commit to their own values and be proud of how they shape their research.
      • Interpretivists believe that it is impossible for for a researcher to completely leave their values out of their work.
    • Perspectives
      • Gouldner, research is always infulenced by values but it depends on the values of the sociologists of funding body.
        • Feminists- Society based on gender inequality they promote the rights  of women.
        • Functionalists-Society as harmonious,Favour the status quo, conservative force.
        • Marxists- sees society based on conflict & works to gain a classless society.
    • Objectivity and Realism
      • Some sociologists believe that it is impossible to produce a truly objective, value free study of society.
        • Relativism - there is no absolute truth which is truly value free but  there will be different interpretations of the truth.
          • Post Modernists agree with this.
    • Becker
      • Sociologists values are always present in their research but the nature of their values depends on who they are trying to support. positivists(e.g functionalism) often support powerful groups-government.
      • Perspectives
        • Gouldner, research is always infulenced by values but it depends on the values of the sociologists of funding body.
          • Feminists- Society based on gender inequality they promote the rights  of women.
          • Functionalists-Society as harmonious,Favour the status quo, conservative force.
          • Marxists- sees society based on conflict & works to gain a classless society.

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