Theory and methods: sociology as a science

What was the purpose of the enlightenment?

To bring about human reason in order to achieve human progress

What is science?

A set of principles that tell us how to produce valid knowledge. It then aims to base laws and theories on objective facts gained through observing phenomena.

Objectivity

Where the research does not involve opinions, or bias or prejudice.

What do positivists believe regarding reality?

They believe reality exists outside and independently of the human mind and that a structure is evident, where people are told what to do via external forces.

What is society according to positivism

An objective factual reality that is made up of social facts (patterns) and these things dictate actions

What are social facts according to LUKES?

Notes that they are social forces found within the structures of society, they have 3 key features:

1. They are external to individuals

2. They constrain individuals shaping their behaviour

3. They are greater than the individual, existing in a different level.

What are the 3 features of social facts according to LUKES?

1. They are external to individuals,

2. They constrain individuals shaping their behaviour,

3. They are greater than individuals, existing on a different level

What social facts did DURKHEIM use in his comparative method experiment?

Social integration, and moral regulation.

Is reality patterned according to Positivism?

Reality is not random or chaotic, it is patterned. Real laws are discoverable and these laws will explain patterns

Inductive reasoning

Involves accumulating data about the world via careful observation and measurement. As knowledge increases, patterns can be identified.

A03 of Inductive reasoning: POPPER

Fallacy of induction

What patterns did DURKHEIM observe in his observation of suicide rates?

Suicide rates remained constant over time, when rates changes this coincided with other changes, fell during war time, rose during economic crisis, different societies rates are different, Lower rates for Catholics than protestants

From what did DURKHEIM develop the fourfold typology?

From his observations of suicide rates

What does DURKHEIM claim to have established in his fourfold typology?

A truth, where he then develops a general law

Verificationism

Inductive reasoning claiming to verify a theory

A03 of verificationism: POPPER:

Falsificationism

What do interpretivists believe about social actors

They are far too complex to be studied scientifically

Which theory takes an interpretivist approach?

Feminism and interactionism

What is the difference between sociology and the natural sciences?

NS study matter which has no consciousness. Behaviour can be explained in relation to external stimulus- it cannot make choices about its behaviour.

Sociology studies people who are conscious. To understand people meanings must be understood

Mead

FREE WILL

Verstehen

Idea of stepping into somebody else's shoes. Identified by WEBER- using his perspective it requires subjective understanding which draws on people's opinions

What are interpretivist methods, and how could they be argued to achieve verstehen?

Covert observations, unstructured interviews: allows for a rapport,

Documents(2ndary) open questionnaires. Each tries to get understanding of social actors meanings and life worlds

Interactionism: GLASER AND STRAUSS

argue that a positivist approach risks imposing our view of what's important rather than the actors and so distorts reality. Should not begin with a hypothesis, bottom up approach-grounded theory. Should observe ideas then produce testable hypothesis

Interactionism: DOUGLAS

challenged the validity of the official statistics an aimed to uncover meanings which can only be done using qualitative approaches

Ethnomethodology: GARFINKEL

Society is not a real thing it exists in our minds, and so cannot be measured to identify cause and effect. People are not governed by external forces and therefore there is no possibility of cause and effect relationships

ATKINSON: Ethnomethodology

Notes that meanings cannot be uncovered as the person (died) cannot justify it.

Postmodern beliefs

No longer a unifying truth that all believe in, sociology cannot be value free, science is a meta narrative, plural truths, there is no objective reality waiting to be measured

What is the postmodern perspective on science?

Just another meta narrative, undesirable and does not always lead to progress, dangerous and claims a monopoly of the truth, does not always bring benefits and is an unsuitable method for SOC. example- Soviet Union, communism, MOT

Why does feminism differ to the other structural theories?

Opposed completely to positivism as they believe it is patriarchal and unable to capture the reality of a woman's experience

What are the two questions answered by POPPER in regards to science?

1. What makes scientific knowledge unique?

2. Why has scientific knowledge grown so much in the past few centuries?

The fallacy of induction

Induction is the process of moving from the observation of particular instances of something to arrive a a general statement or law. POPPER noted we can't prove a theory true by simply producing further observation to verify it

Falsificationism: POPPER

Proving something wrong. Science is so unique it sets to falsify ideas. Cannot be disproved, they have to be accepted as the best version of the truth at that time.

Unscientific research being unable to be falsified: POPPER

Example- MARXISM: Marx noted that a revolution would occur. However they note this has not yet happened due to being indoctrinated into a false class consciousness. Cannot be proved wrong and so is untestable

KUHN

Historian of science, radically different view to POPPER regarding what makes science unique

The paradigm: KUHN

A paradigm provides a framework of assumptions, principles, methods and techniques within which members of the scientific community work

Normal science: KUHN

KUHN notes that in this type, scientists engage in puzzle solving. KUHN sees this aspect of puzzle solving within a paradigm as the unique feature of science

Scientific revolutions: KUHN

Occasionally scientists will uncover findings that contradict the paradigm and as anomalies build up this leads to a period crisis marking the start of a scientific revolution as rival paradigms are incommensurable

What is different about KUHNs findings compared to POPPER

Science is not characterised by openness or originality, normal science scientists are conformists who unquestioningly accept key ideas of the paradigm

Implications for sociology as a science

Sociology is pre-scientific and pre paradigmatic. Does not operate within a paradigm as there are few shared ideas but rather competing perspectives

Midwifery