SOCI1001 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Structured Interview, Cultural Learning, Cultural Universal
Sociology 1001 September 22nd 2016
Experiments (S&B, pp.34-35):
Focus: primarily explanatory, testing for cause effect relationships.
Involves:
- randomly assigning participants to control and experimental groups
- Manipulating independent variable to determine effect on dependent variable
Key strength: stronger claims about causality.
Key weakness: Artificiality, low generalizability of lab experiments.
Surveys ( S&B, pp.35-37):
Focus: Allow gathering of information from respondents using a self-administered
questionnaire (or structured interview)
Involve:
- selecting a representative sample
- Designing and administering a survey instrument with a view to accurately acquiring the
desired information.
Key strengths: Allow collection of information on a large number of variables from large number
of participants (examine relationships among many variables); generalizability
Key weakness: reliance of self-reports (accuracy?)
Observation (S&B pp.41-42):
Focus: Used (especially by qualitative researchers) to gain insights into group dynamic or
social processes through close, direct observation
Involves: -systematic observation in a social setting (as participant, non-participant),
typically over a longer period of time
Key strength: potential to gain insights of social phenomena in natural settings, to gain
understanding of participants’ points of view.
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Focus: primarily explanatory, testing for cause effect relationships. Involves: randomly assigning participants to control and experimental groups. Manipulating independent variable to determine effect on dependent variable. Key weakness: artificiality, low generalizability of lab experiments. Focus: allow gathering of information from respondents using a self-administered questionnaire (or structured interview) Designing and administering a survey instrument with a view to accurately acquiring the desired information. Key strengths: allow collection of information on a large number of variables from large number of participants (examine relationships among many variables); generalizability. Focus: used (especially by qualitative researchers) to gain insights into group dynamic or social processes through close, direct observation. Involves: -systematic observation in a social setting (as participant, non-participant), typically over a longer period of time. Key strength: potential to gain insights of social phenomena in natural settings, to gain understanding of participants" points of view. Key weakness: potential for researcher"s presence to influence what is observed ( reactivity ).
