Introduction to Sociology Lecture Review

A set of question-and-answer flashcards covering key concepts from the Introduction to Sociology lecture notes.

What does sociology study?

Sociology studies society, social behavior, and how people interact within groups.

What are three core questions sociology asks about society?

How is society organised? What shapes people's identities and experiences? Why do social problems exist?

What is a hypothesis in scientific research?

A proposed explanation for a phenomenon—an educated, testable guess.

What is a theory in the context of science?

An idea or set of ideas intended to explain facts, events, or phenomena.

How are theories and hypotheses connected?

Hypotheses are derived from theories and are used to test parts of those theories.

What are the two main types of sociological research methods?

Quantitative methods and qualitative methods.

Give two examples of quantitative research methods.

Surveys and analysis of official statistics.

Give two examples of qualitative research methods.

Interviews and participant observations.

What is positivism in sociology?

A scientific approach that focuses on macro-level structures, uses quantitative data, and seeks objective, reliable descriptions.

What is interpretivism in sociology?

An approach that focuses on micro-level individual actions, uses qualitative data, and seeks valid understanding of motives.

Which founder is associated with positivism?

Auguste Comte.

Which founder is associated with interpretivism?

Max Weber.

According to Karl Popper, when is a theory scientific?

When it makes clear, testable predictions that can potentially be proven false (falsified).

What happens to a theory if repeated hypothesis tests fail?

The theory is weakened or may be rejected.

What happens to a theory if repeated hypothesis tests succeed?

The theory is strengthened but never absolutely proven.

What does the acronym WEIRD stand for?

Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich, Democratic.

Why can focusing on WEIRD populations create bias in research?

Because WEIRD groups represent only a small, culturally specific minority of humanity, limiting the generalisability of findings.

What is the difference between correlation and causation?

Correlation is when two variables change together; causation is when one variable directly produces a change in another.

What is validity in sociological research?

The extent to which a method or result accurately reflects the concept it claims to measure.

What is reliability in sociological research?

The consistency or repeatability of research results across multiple trials or studies.

What is primary data?

Data collected firsthand by the researcher through methods such as questionnaires, interviews, or observations.

What is secondary data?

Pre-existing data collected by others, such as official statistics, previous studies, or media sources.

What key question does the philosophy of science ask about theories?

How can we evaluate whether a theory is a strong or weak explanation of the world?

In evaluative terms, what do objectivity and reliability refer to in positivist research?

Objectivity means freedom from researcher bias; reliability means the findings can be consistently replicated.

What does sociology study?

Sociology studies society, social behavior, and how people interact within groups.

What are three core questions sociology asks about society?

How is society organised? What shapes people's identities and experiences? Why do social problems exist?

What is a hypothesis in scientific research?

A proposed explanation for a phenomenon—an educated, testable guess.

What is a theory in the context of science?

An idea or set of ideas intended to explain facts, events, or phenomena.

How are theories and hypotheses connected?

Hypotheses are derived from theories and are used to test parts of those theories.

What are the two main types of sociological research methods?

Quantitative methods and qualitative methods.

Give two examples of quantitative research methods.

Surveys and analysis of official statistics.

Give two examples of qualitative research methods.

Interviews and participant observations.

What is positivism in sociology?

A scientific approach that focuses on macro-level structures, uses quantitative data, and seeks objective, reliable descriptions.

What is interpretivism in sociology?

An approach that focuses on micro-level individual actions, uses qualitative data, and seeks valid understanding of motives.

Which founder is associated with positivism?

Auguste Comte.

Which founder is associated with interpretivism?

Max Weber.

According to Karl Popper, when is a theory scientific?

When it makes clear, testable predictions that can potentially be proven false (falsified).

What happens to a theory if repeated hypothesis tests fail?

The theory is weakened or may be rejected.

What happens to a theory if repeated hypothesis tests succeed?

The theory is strengthened but never absolutely proven.

What does the acronym WEIRD stand for?

Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich, Democratic.

Why can focusing on WEIRD populations create bias in research?

Because WEIRD groups represent only a small, culturally specific minority of humanity, limiting the generalisability of findings.

What is the difference between correlation and causation?

Correlation is when two variables change together; causation is when one variable directly produces a change in another.

What is validity in sociological research?

The extent to which a method or result accurately reflects the concept it claims to measure.

What is reliability in sociological research?

The consistency or repeatability of research results across multiple trials or studies.

What is primary data?

Data collected firsthand by the researcher through methods such as questionnaires, interviews, or observations.

What is secondary data?

Pre-existing data collected by others, such as official statistics, previous studies, or media sources.

What key question does the philosophy of science ask about theories?

How can we evaluate whether a theory is a strong or weak explanation of the world?

Why is a vague claim like “capitalism brainwashes everyone” considered unscientific by Popper?

Because it is non-falsifiable—no imaginable evidence could prove it wrong.

In evaluative terms, what do objectivity and reliability refer to in positivist research?

Objectivity means freedom from researcher bias; reliability means the findings can be consistently replicated.

What is subjectivity in research?

Subjectivity refers to the influence of personal perspectives, feelings, or opinions on research findings, often seen as a characteristic of human experience and interpretation.