Sociology and value freedom

What does value laden mean?

This is where sociologists ignore data that didn’t fit their value judgements.

What does values mean?

These are beliefs and opinions about what is right or wrong. Our values are influenced by many factors such as gender, class and ethnicity.

What is objectivity?

A statement is objective if it accurately describes society, regardless of the personal (or subjective) viewpoint of the person.

What is value freedom?

The idea that a researcher’s values and beliefs should not influence the research process or findings.

The debates in value freedom

1. Sociology is value free

2. Sociology is not value free

3. Value freedom is impossible (Sociology can’t be value free).

4. Sociology should not be value free.

Early Positivists Views (19th Century)- Sociology is (and should be) value free

Comte and Durkheim:

• Sociology should be totally value free.

• Sociology should study objective measurable phenomena that can be recorded as quantitative data. This is objective because the researcher is simply counting up what already exists in society. These become social facts.

What are social facts?

Positivists believe that sociology can establish social facts: concepts and institutions in society that are objectively and scientifically verifiable. So, a functionalist hoping to prove levels of social cohesion in a particular society would try to find a way to operationalise the concept and then objectively measure it through reliable research methods. However, interpretivists would argue that such "facts" can never really be objectively proved and they are instead social constructs.

Early Positivist view

• There is an emphasis place on reliability- results must be verified.

• Once we have facts about the causes of behaviour in society, we can make conclusions about how to improve society and recommend policy changes.

Weber’s critique of the Early Positivist View

Sociology is not value free but value relevant:

• Weber disagreed with the early positvist view that objective and factual research methods lead to objective and factual conclusions.

  • E.g research findings: poverty reduces life chances= factual.

  • Conclusion: we should provide people with benefits= not factual, this is value-based judgement.

• Weber argues against 19th century positivists were not logical: conclusions are not factual and objective even if supported by research.

Positivism today- Sociology is value free

Positivists today differ from the early Positivist view but still agree that sociology is value free.

• 19th century positivism is not value free, because laws/reforms express a political view.

• Sociologists should do research, but it is up to companies/politicians who commission the research to decide how to use the results. This is true value freedom.

Eval of Positivism today

This view is criticised as it leads to sociologists not taking moral responsibility for any negative outcomes of their work. Weber argued that you as a sociologist should take moral responsibility for your work.

Weber- sociology is not value free but value relevant, it is impossible for sociology to be value free

Sociological research is value relevant, but not value-free. This means that values inevitably enter some but not all parts of the research process.

Sociologists can be value free in how they carry out their research. They can collect facts without prejudice e.g a good researcher does not ask leading questions.

Weber- value relevant

• Other areas of research are not value free. Values are relevant in following areas:

  • Sociologists will choose a topic to research based on their own personal interests.

  • Conclusions are not value free- we interpret research data from a theoretical framework (e.g from a feminist view, a new right view etc).

  • Sociologists should also take moral responsibility for any negative real-world impacts of their work.

Weber and verstehen

Verstehen does not mean being subjective or biased.

• Max Weber argued that sociologists should understand the meanings behind social action, but this still must be done in a systematic and objective way.

What does Versetehn mean/not mean?

Verstehen means:

• Understanding the viewpoint of the people being studied.

• Interpreting meanings using evidence.

It does not mean:

• Imposing your values on the research

• Making personal or emotional judgements.

Versetehen- sociology cannot be value free

Even when using verstehen, sociologists should:

• Avoid using leading questions

• Base interpretations on evidence.

This means:

• Sociology cannot be value free

• But it can still aim to be objective in its methods.

Funding and careers

Sociology is not value free, sociology can’t be value free (its impossible).

Gomm notes that most funding for sociological research comes from the government and big business. This may mean that sociological research only focuses on issues that governments and businesses see as important.

• Powerful groups have the power to resist sociological research. There has been numerous studies on the poor in society but very few of the wealthy or powerful institutions such as the public schools.

Gouldner

Value freedom is impossible and sociology should not be value free.

Value free sociology is:

1. Impossible because the sociologists own values or the funding bodies will be reflected in their work.

2. Undesirable because sociologists can end up doing morally unjustifiable research.

Value freedom is a value position- if you argue sociology can be/should be value free this is just a subject view not an objective truth.

Sociology should not be value free- committed sociology

• Anyone doing sociology must use their studies to improve the conditions of those most oppressed in society. Sociology is therefore a tool that helps bring about social change- this is called committed sociology. I.e sociologists should be committed to improving society.

• Fore example, Feminism brought about massive social change and equality for women in the 1970s’s. So, sociology should not be value free as it aims to create change!

Sociology should not be value free- feminism

Feminists see the key issue being the patriarchal nature of society- how males dominate and control society. Martin Hammersley, not a feminist researcher, identifies four elements within feminist methodology that demonstrate a rejection of objectivity.

1. Feminist research starts with the belief that women are subordinated in society.

2. Women’s feelings and experiences should be researched instead of ignored.

3. The hierarchical division between the researcher and participant should be broken down. Participants should help to interpret the data obtained.

4. The overall success of research should be measured in terms of how far it helps liberate women.

Sociology should not be value free- Becker (Labelling theory)

We should look at the underdog i.e the powerless (criminals and patients). Identifying with the powerless reveals meanings of these ‘outsiders’ and gives them a voice. He is a committed sociologist.

How does Gouldner disagree with Becker?

He is a committed sociologist but disagrees with Becker. He argues Becker takes a romantic and sentimental approach to studying disadvantaged groups such as the homeless, as they do not have the means to change society.

Gouldner- sociology should not be value free (Marxism)

Gouldner argues that describing the experiences of disadvantaged groups does not go far enough.

• It is not enough to describe the underdog’s life- sociologists should be committed to ending their oppression. So we need to look at the most powerful- the bourgeoisie- and challenge their power in order to stop them from oppressing people.

Postmodernism

All perspectives involve values and their findings, arguably they are just a reflection of their values rather than a true picture of society. For postmodernists there would be no way of deciding which of these different versions of reality are true.

• We cannot produce true, objective value free knowledge- its just plurals of truth, what is ‘true’ is dependent on what is ‘true’ for you.