The study of human relationships and institutions is known as sociology (UNC, 2013). Sociologists gather and analyze evidence about social life to enhance our understanding of important social processes. Field work, a common research practice in sociology, aims to accurately represent population characteristics (UNC, 2013). This involves using various research methods such as conducting surveys, observing social interactions, interpreting historical data, and analyzing videotaped interactions. In this paper, we will explore two specific research methods employed in sociology.
The text explores correlation research, which analyzes the link between two variables. These variables can be behaviors, events, characteristics, or attitudes. The main aim of this kind of research is to determine if there is a relationship between the variables and to quantify its extent. Sociologists use different methods to establish correlations. Correlations are classified as positive (up to +1.0), negative (up to -1.0), or nonexistent (0.0). A positive correlation indicates that both variables increase or decrease together, while a negative correlation suggests they move in opposite directions. Nonexistent correlations indicate no relationship between the variables.
It’s important to note that correlation data does not prove cause and effect relationships; it merely demonstrates an interconnectedness between both variables. Changes in one variable will lead to corresponding changes in the other variable.
A1: Philosophical Justifications for Sociological Methods
The second research method we will explore is survey research. Survey research involves conducting interviews or administering questionnaires to a large number of individuals through various means such as in-person, mail, or telephone. Sociologists tailor the survey questions to match the specific focus of their study. The collected data is then analyzed to identify patterns, differences, and trends which allow sociologists to make predictions about the population under study.
One advantage of this method is its ability to gather data from a large sample size within a relatively short time frame. It is also cost-effective and provides respondents with the convenience of completing surveys at their own pace if conducted by mail. Furthermore, mail surveys ensure anonymity which may lead to more truthful responses.
However, there are drawbacks associated with this method. The reliability of responses may vary, deciphering results can be time-consuming, and not all potential participants may choose to take part in the survey.
According to Jones (2013), the survey method is considered highly effective and affordable for gathering a large amount of information quickly. Pearson (2013) supports this, stating that surveys allow for a wider range of study with greater efficiency. The use of anonymity in surveys encourages participants to provide more truthful responses and helps eliminate bias in result interpretation (Jones, 2013). Additionally, Pearson (2013) mentions that the ease of coding and analyzing data makes surveys highly reliable. Surveys also complement other research methods and confirm qualitative findings by identifying areas that require further research and uncovering broad patterns that may be overlooked through solely relying on qualitative methods (Pearson, 2013). Ultimately, survey methods make significant contributions to anthropological research (B. Anthropological Research Methods).
Anthropology, which comes from the Greek, literally means “the study of the human” (Malinowski, 2013). Cultural anthropology delves into the study of human cultures, encompassing their practices, beliefs, and values. Anthropologists employ diverse research methods to conduct these studies, such as participant observation, cross-cultural comparison, survey research, interviews, and historical analysis. This paper will closely examine two distinct research forms employed in the realm of cultural anthropology.
The first method of anthropological research that we will examine is participant observation, which involves researchers immersing themselves in the culture being studied. These researchers live within the society during the study and gain first-hand experience by observing and participating in various aspects of the culture such as ceremonies, rituals, storytelling, language, and meals. They document their findings using voice recordings, photos, videos, and journals. The success of participant observation depends on the willingness of the culture being studied to accept the researcher into their society.
The second method of research we will discuss is cross-cultural comparison, where comparable culture patterns among multiple societies are searched for. Testable hypotheses are used to try to establish statistical correlations among cultures (Gillies and Kinzer, 2009). George Peter Murdock greatly facilitated this methodology with his comparative studies. He developed the Human Relations Area Files (HRAF), an index containing many known societies worldwide (Gillies and Kinzer, 2009). This research method has two goals: 1) to describe the distribution and range of cultural variation between recorded ethnographies and 2) to test the theories and hypotheses proposed to explain the variations among cultures (Gillies and Kinzer, 2009). B1. Philosophical Justifications for Anthropological Methods
Participant observation is a valuable research technique that offers an inside look into the workings of a culture. By fully immersing themselves in a culture over an extended period, researchers gain extensive knowledge of the society and establish trust with its members. This trust enables them to gather more accurate information and create a comprehensive ethnography. Ethnographies not only facilitate understanding of a specific culture and appropriate interaction with it but also serve as historical records for endangered or extinct cultures.
Despite the potential invasion of privacy, participant observation is conducted carefully and respectfully towards all members of these cultures. Researchers seek permission from cultural leaders before undertaking this form of research.
C. Compare and Contrast Approaches
Sociology and anthropology are two fields of study that examine human behavior, group dynamics, and social relations. Sociology concentrates on the establishment, arrangement, and interaction of human groups, while anthropology investigates the physical characteristics, culture, environment, and social connections of humans and their predecessors throughout time. Despite slight variations in their focal points, both disciplines utilize secondary analysis as a research approach and depend on comparable sources of material and information. Additionally, they employ similar techniques for gathering this data. The primary distinction lies in how they apply and present the gathered information.
Traditionally, sociology and anthropology focused on different types of societies. Sociology studied modern, civilized, and complex societies (Bhatt, 2012), while anthropology traditionally studied simple, more primitive, non-literate societies (Bhatt, 2013). While sociology examined both large and small societies, anthropology tended to focus more on smaller ones. Additionally, their research styles differed: anthropology emphasized immersion in native life, whereas sociology stressed distance from the object of study (Dilipchandra, 2012). Furthermore, the two disciplines treated data differently; sociology approached data quantitatively while anthropology approached it qualitatively. Sociology believed that human behavior could be measured reliably (Dilipchandra, 2012), while anthropology asserted that a significant portion of human behavior was beyond measurement (Dilipchandra, 2012).
In recent years though societal changes have led to a convergence between sociology and anthropology. Sociologists now conduct research in developing countries while anthropologists explore industrialized societies due to industrialization itself (McGraw-Hill, 2013).
References
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