12TM soc and science

?
what are the 5 key features of science?
reliable, empirical, objective, falsifiable, cumulative
1 of 51
What is empirical ?
where information gathered can be counted or measured.
2 of 51
What is falsifiable?
Data and results can be tested and revisited many times. They can also be verified or refuted.
3 of 51
What is replicable?
when a research method can be repeated again and produce the same results
4 of 51
What is cumulative?
Scientific theory builds on previous knowledge so that there is an ever growing, empirically testable body of such knowledge e.g. periodic table.
5 of 51
What is objective?
Science blocks out personal prejudices in search for empirically testable prepositions about the world.
6 of 51
How does patterns, laws and reasoning link to science?
Science should observe, identify and measure/ record patterns and explain them, positivists believe sociology does this.
They argue that sociologists are like scientists who try to find laws to explain how society works.
7 of 51
what do positivists mean by external existence?
they believe that reality exists outside of the individual, facts about society exist whether we know about them or not and it is our job to find them
8 of 51
What is verification?
Where we use patterns and research to prove our theory correct.
9 of 51
How does verification link to science?
From knowledge, we can develop a theory and after careful observation and measurement, knowledge grows and we see patterns, from these we can claim to have discovered a general law.
We use inductive reasoning to prove these laws are true.
10 of 51
What is inductive reasoning?
as we do research, knowledge grows, from this we can see patterns and trends which can help to create general laws (facts about society) - these facts are true whether we like it or not
11 of 51
How does objective quantitative research link to science?
Positivists believe sociology should take the experimental method which allows investigator to test hypothesis in the most controlled way. Positivists use quantitative data to measure patterns of behaviour. Researchers should be detached to prevent values
12 of 51
What was Durkheims study?
Used official statistics to research suicide rates in Europe. Concluded tha suicide rates were high for protestants than catholics. Concluded that this was a social fact and not motives. Used inductive reasoning.
13 of 51
What 2 things does Karl Popper aim to discover?
what makes scientific knowledge unique and why it has grown so fast.
14 of 51
what does Popper mean by the fallacy of induction?
He doesn’t believe science is distinguished by inductive reasoning.
It is the process of moving from the observation of instances to creating a general law.
A theory can never be true through observation as you don't consider the things that could prove
15 of 51
What is falsification? How does it make science unique?
the opposite of verification where the researcher considers all of the things which might prove their theory wrong rather than only including the evidence which might prove them right. This is the thing that makes science unique
16 of 51
What did Popper argue the two components of a good theory were?
1. a bold clear statement which can be falsified
2. it stands up to any criticisms and takes on why it might be wrong
17 of 51
What is an open and closed society?
Open- one that believes in free expression for example in science everything is ope to criticism.
Closed- dominated by one belief system.
18 of 51
What is wrong with sociological hypothesis according to Popper?
it cannot be put to the test. Many cannot be falsified for example marxism which is right if a revolution does or doesn't occur - both would be the result of capitalism
19 of 51
how does Popper say sociology will become a science?
he says when sociology rejects verification and becomes falsifiable it will become a science
20 of 51
what example does Popper use to show that sociology can be falsifiable?
Ford - predicted that the introduction of comprehensive schools would allow social mobility amongst students but used her evidence to prove herself wrong in the fact that it had the opposite effect
21 of 51
What is a paradigm according to Kuhn?
It is a set of beliefs which is shared by a group of scientists, setting out a basic framework for the things they agree on
Adhering to the paradigm results in publication of their research.
22 of 51
how does the paradigm benefit normal science?
Most of time paradigm goes unquestioned and scientists do “normal science” meaning it allows them to agree on their beliefs and get on with productive work
23 of 51
What did Watkins argue?
While Popper sees falsification as the unique feature of science, for Khun it is puzzle solving with a paradigm.
24 of 51
What is a scientific revolution? What happens during one?
A scientific revolution is where there becomes anomilies in the paradigm, people start to loose faith. As a result rival paradigms emerge and attempt to take its place. Eventually one wins and replaces the old one.
25 of 51
How does sociology lack a paradigm? how did Kuhn describe sociology?
It is pre-paradigmatic and therefore pre-scientific it is divided in terms of perspectives that compete.
There is no agreement on what to study, what method to use etc.
26 of 51
What did Kuhn say sociology needed to become scientific? Is this possible?
sociology needs a shared paradigm to become a science. this is highly unlikely as there are even disagreements within theories
27 of 51
How does Kuhn criticise Popper's argument that science is an open system that takes on criticisms?
Wakefield criticised the MMR vaccine arguing that it was dangerous and was banned from science as a result. Kuhn argues that scientists hardly ever question the paradigm
28 of 51
What do interpretivists say about the subject matter of sociology?
in sociology we can interact with our subject matter unlike science. therefore we should use qualitative methods to explain peoples behaviour because our behaviour is influenced by our own choices, not external causes. the only way we can get an explanati
29 of 51
What are the two ways in which subject matter differ to science?
1. Natural science studies matter which has no consciousness - we cannot interact with it, its behaviour is always influenced by external sources
2. Sociology studies people who have consciousness - we can interact with them to explain their behaviour
30 of 51
What does Mead argue?
The I and the Me.
31 of 51
What is vehstehen? what do interpretivists say about it?
empathetic understanding. they argue that using this is the only way we can understand why people behave the way they do - by putting ourselves in their shoes
32 of 51
What do interpretivists believe about hypothesis?
They believe that we need to take a grounded theory approach in that we shouldn't use a hypothesis as it doesn't allow an open mind. instead we should go in with little knowledge which builds up from our research
33 of 51
What do Glaser and Strauss argue?
argue that this risk imposing our own views of what we see as important rather than taking the actor's viewpoint so we end up distorting the reality we seek to capture.
34 of 51
What does Garfinkel believe?
We should research how we shape institutions and give meanings to things, not how institutions shape us.
35 of 51
how does Douglas criticise Durkheim's study of suicide?
he rejects his use of statistics, arguing that methods such as case studies will give a more valid explanation of suicide
36 of 51
How does Atkinson criticise Durkheim's study of suicide?
he argues that even qualitative methods will not find the true meaning of suicide as the real reason lies with the deceased. statistics show just an interpretation of someones death
37 of 51
why are postmodernists against the idea of sociology being seen as a science?
they say science is a metanarrative which claims the truth when there is no one size fits all explanation of society - all views of society are true, not just science
38 of 51
why are feminists against sociology being a science?
they say they need to include their values and quantitative methods are malestream and don't include how women see society
39 of 51
what did hart say about science?
it is based on male perceptions of the world, ignoring how women see the world
40 of 51
what did Harding say about quantitative methods?
scientific based research and quantitative methods are conducted by men and are based on men and exclude women from samples
41 of 51
What do realists focus on?
focus on the similarities between natural and social science.
42 of 51
how did realists say sociology and science were similar?
both science and sociology study the cause and effect of things e.g how social class can lead to poverty and educational underachievement
43 of 51
What Sayer argue about closed systems?
Argues that closed systems are where all variables can be ocontrolled and measured.
44 of 51
What are open systems?
where all relevant variables cannot be controlled and measured. Therefore you can't make precise predictions. - e.g. you cannot predict the crime rate
45 of 51
what do realists say about sociology?
it is the scientific study of an open system. therefore it is a science in many ways, some elements of research are just less predicable like in science. the only difference is that science can also study closed systems
46 of 51
How does Sayer criticise positivists and Popper?
He argues that verification and falsification is not what defines science and that science is not value free like they argue.
47 of 51
how do realists criticise interpretivists?
they say they are wrong in saying that sociology cannot be scientific because they both study unobservable things
48 of 51
what did Keat and Urry say?
that science also studies things which are unobservable such as black holes and atoms, making it similar to sociology
49 of 51
Give an example of an unobservable structure?
Marxism base-super structure.
50 of 51
What is a positive of paradigms?
Allows scientists to agree on the basics of their subject and get on with productive problem solving.
51 of 51

Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What is empirical ?

Back

where information gathered can be counted or measured.

Card 3

Front

What is falsifiable?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What is replicable?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What is cumulative?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
View more cards

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar Sociology resources:

See all Sociology resources »See all Sociological theory resources »