Sociology - Factors affecting choice of research method

• POSTIVISTS (Strucutal/Macro view) 
• Believe Sociology should be studied scientifically
• Do this by searching for causual realtionships by following the logic of the experimental method
• Therefore favouring a QUANTITATIVE approach to research
• Eg: Offical statistics & Social surveys
• These methods produce data that is:
• Reliable, Objective, Generalisable & Representative
• It allows the researcher to establish social facts, causual laws & predictions
• For example: Using offical statistics on suicide rates DURKHEIM  discovered suicide rates are realated to levels social control in society

• INTERPRETIVISTS (Action/Micro view)
• Believe sociology can not studied scientifically
• Search for Individual meaning, Feelings, Motives & Emotions
• Therefore favour a QUALITATIVE approach to research
• For example: Informal Interviews, Observation & Personal Documents
• Such methods produce data that is:
• Valid, Insightful In-Depth, Not Pre-Defined & allows the researcher to establish VERSTENHEN & RAPPORT
• For example: DOBASH & DOBASH able to discover the patriarchal nature of domestic violence by Informal Interviews

Theoretical Perspective:

 New Right - look at the effects of increasing welfare benefits on family life & structure. Because welfare dependency is central to New Right thinking on the family.

 Feminists - reasearch into domestic violence. Because are opposed to gender oppression & control in families

PEOPLE RESEARCH WHAT THEY ARE INTRESTED IN

Researchers Values:

Researchers who are concerned about equality may choose subjects like:

• Social class differences in educational achievement
• 

Society's Values: As societies values change so does the focus of sociological research

• For example: The rise of feminism in 1960's/70's led to focus on researching gender inequality 
•  Concerns about the environment led to reasearch into Green cimes (Eg: Bhopal Gas Disater)

Funding Bodies: Most sociologists recieve their funding from gover & non-goverment organisations, they request what they should reseach

• For example: The police may request research into knife crime

Practical Factors: The inaccessibility of some research unables the study

• For example: Headteachers may deny access to classes where control is poor
• Permision may needed from LEA'S (local education authorties)

Personal Reasons: The researcher may choose a topic that will allow them to gain promotion or an academic qualification

Topic/Group Studied:

• May be sensitive (Children/Education)
• QUALITATIVE methods allow for RAPPORT to be bulit
• For example: OAKLEY did informal interviews to investigate women's experiences of childbirth

Social Characteristics Of The Researcher:

• For exmaple: A 30 year old male researcher
• PO study on pupic subcultures difficult as researcher could not pass off as a pupil
• Would prove to be impossible in a all girl school

Time/Money:

• May be limited (Structed Interviews are expensive/time consuming)
• QUANTITATIVE methods like postal questionnaires are quicker & cheaper than QUALITATIVE methods

Source Of Finance:

• Organisations like the Home Office favour
• QUANTITATIVE methods as they have more scientific credibiliy for governments
• For example: The BCS (Britsh Crime Survey) carries out structured interviews of closed questions

1. Most important factor in choice of research method is the topic/group studied. Sociologists choose methods which are fit for their purpose

2. Sociologists often TRIANGULATE and use QUANTITATIVE and QUALITATIVE methods to gain VALIDITY and RELIABILITY

Major Ethical Guidelines:

• Gained Informed Consent
• No harm and distress (especially to vulnerable groups like children)
• Right to withdraw
• No exploitation
• No Deception

Makes certain methods such as lab experiments and CPO questionable

Serious questions have been raised about Milgram's experimental obedience study:

• Deception: Believed they were shocking a real person
• Protection of participants: exposed to extremely harmful situation