Science, Objectivity, and Values (AQA A-Level Sociology): Flashcards
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Practise the cards
15 cards from this deck
Positivism
Positivism
View that sociology can model itself on natural sciences using quantitative methods
Durkheim's approach
Durkheim's approach
Positivist using quantitative methods to discover social laws
Hypothetico-deductive model
Hypothetico-deductive model
Observe, form hypothesis, gather data, establish laws
Value freedom
Value freedom
Researcher's beliefs shouldn't influence research/results
Social facts (Durkheim)
Social facts (Durkheim)
Patterns caused by society's structure, external to individual
Interpretivism
Interpretivism
Rejects objective science; seeks meanings via qualitative methods
Verstehen
Verstehen
Understanding (interpretivist term)
Popper's falsification
Popper's falsification
Science based on proving theories wrong, not verification
Kuhn's paradigm
Kuhn's paradigm
Shared framework agreed by members in science
Metanarratives
Metanarratives
Big stories/theories (postmodernist term for grand theories)
Weber's position on values
Weber's position on values
Can't be value-free in topic choice but objective in research
Gouldner's view
Gouldner's view
Sociologists should be 'committed' not morally neutral
Becker's approach
Becker's approach
Side with 'underdog' (working-class, labelled groups)
Realist perspective
Realist perspective
Study society in open systems where variables can't be controlled
Douglas's critique
Douglas's critique
Suicide stats based on coroners' subjective opinions, not objective