Key Concepts in Social Theory and Research Ethics

Social Theory

Frameworks for understanding social phenomena.

Macrotheory

Focuses on large-scale social processes.

Microtheory

Examines individual or small group interactions.

Early Positivism

Philosophy emphasizing observable phenomena, by August Comte.

Conflict Theory

Analyzes social conflict, associated with Karl Marx.

Symbolic Interaction Theory

Focuses on meanings derived from social interactions.

Structural Functionalism

Views society as a complex system of parts.

Critical Race Theory

Examines the intersection of race and law.

Interest Convergence

Theory that racial justice benefits dominant groups.

Feminist Paradigms

Explores women's experiences and perspectives in society.

Deductive Method

Starts with a theory to test hypotheses.

Inductive Method

Develops theories based on observed data.

Ethical Issues in Research

Concerns regarding participant welfare and consent.

Institutional Review Boards (IRB)

Committees ensuring ethical research practices.

Nomothetic Explanation

Generalizes findings across multiple cases.

Idiographic Explanation

Focuses on detailed understanding of a single case.

Correlation Coefficient

Measures strength and direction of a relationship.

Ecological Fallacy

Assuming group-level conclusions apply to individuals.

Reductionism

Simplifying complex phenomena to basic elements.

Longitudinal Study

Research design observing subjects over time.

Cross-Sectional Study

Analyzes data from a population at one time.

Mixed-Mode Designs

Combines different research methods for comprehensive analysis.