SOC 1100 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Spurious Relationship, Dependent And Independent Variables

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 1100
• Professor: Deanna Behnke- Cook

Document Summary

Logical system that bases knowledge on direct systematic observation. Rests on empirical evidence: info we can verify with senses. Study of society based on systematic observation of social behaviour. Positivism: assumes that an objective reality exists. Concept: mental concept that represents some form of a word in simplified form. Variable: concept whose values change from case to case. Measurement: determining value of variable from case to case. How do you measure abstract concepts like family or love. Operationalize a variable: specifying what is being measured before giving value to a variable. Dependent variable: variable that changes (exam grade) Correlation: two or more variable change together. Spurious correlation: apparent but false relationship caused by another variable. Independent variable: variable that causes the change (how much you study: control: holding constant all variables except one to see effect of that variable. Conditions for cause and affect to be considered: existence of a correlation.