Chapter 2Sociological Research Methods

Common Sense and Sociology: Suicide Common sense may tell us that people who

threaten suicide will not commit suicide. Sociological research indicates that people

who threaten to kill themselves may attempt suicide.

Common sense may tell us that suicide is caused by despair or depression. Research suggests that suicide is sometimes

used as a means of lashing out because of real or imagined wrongs.

Common Sense and Sociological: Suicide

Historically, the common sense view of suicide was that it was a sin, a crime, & a mental illness.

Emile Durkheim related suicide to the issue of cohesiveness in society. Wrote that a high suicide rate was

symptomatic of large-scale societal problems.

How Much Do You Know About Suicide? True or False?

In the United States, suicide occurs on the average of one every 18 minutes.

How Much Do You Know About Suicide? True

A suicide occurs on the average of every 18 minutes in the United States. Men are four times more likely to kill

themselves than are women.

How Much Do You Know About Suicide? True or False?

More teenagers and young adults die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza, and chronic lung disease combined.

How Much Do You Know About Suicide? True.

Suicide is a leading cause of death among teenagers and young adults.

It is the third leading cause of death among young people between 15 and 24 years of age, following unintentional injuries and homicide.

Question Within the past 12 months, how many

people have you known personally that have committed suicide?

General Social Survey National Data

Region East Midwest South West

None 91.9% 86.6% 90.2% 85.7%

1 or More

8.1% 13.4% 9.8% 14.3%

Sociology and Scientific Evidence Sociology involves debunking,

unmasking false ideas or opinions. Two approaches:

Normative Empirical

The Normative Approach Uses religion, customs, habits, traditions

& law to answer important questions. Based on beliefs about what is right &

wrong What “ought to be” in society.

The Empirical Approach Attempts to answer questions through

systematic collection & analysis Referred to as scientific methodBased

on assumption that knowledge is gained by direct systematic observation.

Sociology and Scientific Standards

2 basic scientific standards: Scientific beliefs should be supported

by good evidence/info These beliefs should be open to debate

& critique

Question The scientific method is based on the

assumption that knowledge is best gained by:

a. direct observationb. systematic observationc. the support of good evidenced. the possibility for public debatee. all of these choices

Answer: e The scientific method is based on the

assumption that knowledge is best gained by: direct observation, systematic observation, the support of good evidence and the possibility for public debate.

Types of Empirical Studies Descriptive studies: describe social reality or

provide facts about a group, practice, or event. Designed to find out what is happening to

whom, where, and when. Explanatory studies: attempt to explain cause

and effect relationships and to provide information on why certain events do or do not occur.

Deductive Approach Researcher begins with a theory and uses

research to test the theory:1. Theories hypotheses.2. Hypotheses observations.3. Observations formation of

generalizations.4. Generalizations used to support theory,

suggest modifications, or to refute it.

Inductive Approach Researcher collects information or data (facts

or evidence) and then generates theories from the analysis of that data. 1. Specific observations suggest

generalizations.2. Generalizations produce tentative theory.3. The theory is tested through formation of

hypotheses.4. Hypotheses may provide suggestions for

additional observations.

Question The _____ approach begins with a

theory and uses research to test the theory.

a. inductive

b. deductive

c. quantitative

d. qualitative

Answer: b The deductive approach begins with a

theory and uses research to test the theory.

Theory and Research Cycle

Understanding Statistical Data Presentations Sociologists use statistical tables to present a

lot of information in a small space. To understand a table, follow these steps:

1. Read the title. 2. Check the source and explanatory notes.3. Read the headings for each column and

row.4. Examine and compare the data. 5. Draw conclusions.

U.S. Suicides, Sex And Method

Males Females

Method 1970 2000 1970 2000

Total 16,629 23,618 6,851 5,732

Firearms 9,704 14,454 2,068 2,132

Poisoning 3,299 2,792 3,285 2,067

Hanging/strangulation

2,422 4,733 831 955

Other 1,204 1,639 667 578

Quantitative and Qualitative Research Quantitative research focuses on data

that can be measured numerically (comparing rates of suicide, for example).

Qualitative research focuses on interpretive description rather than statistics to analyze underlying meanings and patterns of social relationships.

Conventional Research Model

1. Select and define the research problem.

2. Review previous research.

3. Formulate the hypothesis.

4. Develop the research design.

5. Collect and analyze the data.

6. Draw conclusions and report the findings.

Question With _____research, interpretive description

(words) rather than statistics (numbers) is used to analyze underlying meanings and patterns of social relationships.

a. inductiveb. deductivec. quantitatived. qualitative

Answer: d With qualitative research, interpretive

description (words) rather than statistics (numbers) is used to analyze underlying meanings and patterns of social relationships.

Definitions Validity is the extent to which a study or

research instrument accurately measures what it is supposed to measure.

Reliability is the extent to which a study or research instrument yields consistent results when applied to different individuals at one time or to the same individuals over time.

Hypothesized Relationships Between Variables Causal Relationship

Hypothesized Relationships Between Variables Inverse Causal Relationship

Hypothesized Relationships Between Variables Multiple-cause Explanation\

Question In a medical study, lung cancer could be

the _____ variable, while smoking could be the ______ variable.

a. dependant, independent

b. independent, dependant

c. valid, reliable

d. reliable, valid

Answer: a In a medical study, lung cancer could be

the dependant variable, while smoking could be the independent variable.

Qualitative Research Method

1. Researcher begins with a general approach rather than a highly detailed plan.

2. Researcher has to decide when the literature review and theory application should take place.

Qualitative Research Method3. The study presents a detailed view of

the topic.4. Access to people or other resources that

can provide necessary data is crucial.5. Appropriate research method(s) are

important for acquiring useful qualitative data.

Correlation Vs. Causation A study might find that exposure to a suicide

hot line is associated (correlated) with a change in attitude toward suicide.

But if some of the students who were exposed to the hot line also received psychiatric counseling, the counseling may be the “hidden” cause of the observed change in attitude.

In general, correlations alone do not prove causation.

Triangulation Triangulation is the term used to describe the

approach of combining multiple methods in a given study.

Refers not only to research methods but also to multiple data sources, investigators, and theoretical perspectives in a study.

Data sources include persons, situations, contexts, and time.