Week 1 2 - Chapter 2

Asking and Answering Sociological Questions

1. Introduction to Sociology Today

• Changing Methodologies: Sociology today increasingly relies on statistical studies that utilize big data sets.

• Misconceptions: There is no place for empathy in sociology, nor is it overly qualitative, emphasizing that a balance exists between quantitative and qualitative methods.

2. Social Networking and Research

• Facebook as a Study Tool: Social media platforms like Facebook provide a detailed record of social relationships, which researchers use to analyze trends in friendships and romantic relationships.

• Key Study: A study involving 1 million individuals indicated that romantic partners are more likely to stay together if their friendship circles significantly overlap (Backstrom and Kleinberg, 2013).

• Big Data Utilization: Sociologists use statistical or quantitative methods to analyze large datasets generated from the internet.

3. Empathy in Sociology

• Qualitative vs. Quantitative Methods:

  • Qualitative Methods: Rely on observations, interviews, and archival data, offering insights based on empathy and personal involvement.

  • Quantitative Methods: Use numerical data from surveys and social media metrics, focusing primarily on trends and correlations.

• Controversies: Concerns arise that researchers lacking personal experience with their subjects may overlook important nuances in social issues such as inequality and poverty.

4. Research Process and Methodological Standards

• Goals of Sociological Research:

  1. Inference: Generalizing findings from specific observations to broader populations.

  2. Retraceability: Ensuring other researchers can replicate findings based on shared research methods and documentation.

  3. Uncertainty: Acknowledging that all research conclusions contain degrees of uncertainty, and researchers should report potential sources of doubt.

  4. Reflexivity: Researchers must be aware of their influence on their studies and the power dynamics within their research settings.

5. Seven Stages of the Research Process

1. Define the Problem: Identifying a specific research question.

2. Review Literature: Examining existing studies related to the identified problem.

3. Make the Problem Precise: Formulating clear hypotheses based on literature.

4. Work Out a Design: Choosing appropriate research methods (e.g., surveys, interviews).

5. Carry Out the Research: Implementing the research plan and gathering data.

6. Interpret the Results: Analyzing the data to derive conclusions relating to the research question.

7. Report Findings: Documenting and publishing the research results to stimulate further research questions.

6. Historical Context in Sociology

• Foundational Figures: Robert Park and William Ogburn had contrasting views on sociology:

  • Robert Park: Advocated for an approach grounded in real-world observations and community engagement.

  • William Ogburn: Emphasized quantitative methods and data analysis, believing sociology should be rigidly scientific like natural sciences.

7. Research Methods in Contemporary Sociology

• Divided Approaches: Current sociological research methods include ethnography, surveys, and experiments, each with unique strengths and weaknesses.

  • Ethnography: Provides in-depth understanding but can be limited in scope.

  • Surveys: Efficient for large datasets but may lack depth in responses.

  • Experiments: Useful in establishing causation but often struggle with generalizability due to artificial settings.

8. Ethical Considerations in Sociology

• Challenges of Research: Ethical dilemmas arise when research may pose risks to participants, such as exploitation concerns, especially in vulnerable communities.

9. Unanswered Questions and Future Directions

• Open Research Questions: Ongoing debates focus on causal relationships in social contexts, exploitation in research, and the feasibility of a fully scientific approach to studying human behavior.