Theory & methods lesson 3

Can Sociology be objective/ value free?

Starter

Think of 3 topics you would like to research

Choose one of the topics and write down 3 questions that you would ask in either an interview or a questionnaire.

Swap with your neighbour. From reading your neighbour’s

questions, is it possible to identify their opinion about the topic? Why?

Key issues

1. Is an objective, value-free sociology possible?

2. Is it desirable?

Objectivity

What does it mean?

The exclusion of values from research.

Key issues

1. Is an objective, value-free sociology possible?

2. Is it desirable?

Position 1

If sociology wants to make any claim to scientific status then it has to be free of personal and political biases.

This is known as value-freedom or objectivity.

Who might take this position?

Position 2

A second position is that, ideally, our personal values should not intrude into our sociological studies, but in practice, it is almost impossible to keep them out.

This position sees society as value laden.

Who might take this position?

Position 3

At the other extreme from value freedom are those who argue that anyone involved in doing sociological research should want to make things better for people in society (especially the oppressed).

Sociology should therefore be used as a tool that helps bring about social change

Committed sociology

Positions!?!

3 volunteers please!!!

The early positivists

Comte (1798-1857), Durkheim (1858-1917)

(see sociology factsheet)

The creation of a better society was not a matter of subjective values or personal opinions.

Sociology’s job was to discover the truth about how society works & uncover the laws that make it work properly.

So...

By discovering the ‘truth’ about how society worked, sociologists would be able to say objectively and with scientific certainty what was best for society.

Was Marx a positivist?

Discuss these 3 questions on your table;

What was Marx trying to achieve?

What was his method?

Was he a positivist?

Marx & Durkheim

Marx & Durkheim both believed that scientific methods could produce data that would tell us what values we should hold.

E.g. Research might establish the fact that divorcees are more likely to commit suicide. This tells us that we should make divorce harder to obtain.

What is wrong with this reasoning?

Max WeberIn Weber’s view a value can be neither

proved nor disproved by the facts: they belong to different realms.

Weber saw an essential role for values in sociological research.

We can divide his views into 4 stages of the research process. Take a sheet of paper and fold it into

quarters Write ‘Weber’ in the middle

1. Values as a guide to research We cannot study the whole society We have to select certain facts and

study these How do we choose facts to study? We can only select them in terms of

what we regard as important based on our own values.

E.g. Feminists value gender equality and therefore study women’s oppression

2. Data collection and hypothesis testing Whilst values are essential in

choosing what to study, Weber argued that we must be as objective and unbiased as possible when collecting the data.

We should not ask leading questions. Revisit the questions you wrote at

the beginning of the lesson – are they leading? Did they reflect your own values?

3. Values in the interpretation of data The facts need to be set in a theoretical

framework so that we can understand their significance and draw conclusions from the,.

Our choice of theoretical framework is influenced by our values.

Therefore, we must be explicit about them, spelling out our values so that others can see if unconscious bias is present in our interpretation.

4. Values and the sociologist as citizen Research findings often have very real

effects on people’s lives, but sociologists sometimes ignore the uses to which their research is put.

Weber argues that scientists and sociologists are also human beings and citizens and they must not dodge the moral and political issues their work raises.

They must take moral responsibility for the harm their work may do.

Moral responsibiility?

Einstein’s theories in physics helped make the atomic bomb possible.

Einstein voiced his opposition to nuclear weapons.

Read through box 4.4 p 273 Webb

How much do you agree with the following statement;‘Social scientists have a moral responsibility for

their work’

What do you think???Volunteers please – Where do you stand,

continuum line

Listen....

Do not write anything down yet Really listen and read the following 5

slides!!!! Ask any questions you need to make

sure you understand

Value freedom and commitment Neo-Marxists, interactionists and

feminists have argued for a ‘committed sociology’ in which the sociologist spells out the importance of their personal values to their research.

Modern positivists Modern positivists argued that their

own values were irrelevant to their research for 2 reasons:

1. The desire to appear scientific Job is simply to establish the truth about

people’s behaviour, not to judge it.

2. The social position of society Sociologists as hired hands

Committed sociology Myrdal (1969) argues that sociologists

should not only spell out their values, they should also openly ‘take sides’.

Committed sociologists – it is neither possible nor desirable to keep values out of research. Impossible because sociologist’s values are

bound to be reflected in their work Undesirable since without values to guide

research sociologists are putting their services at the disposal of the highest bidder.

Becker (1970)– ‘whose side are we on’ Traditionally the powerful Should be the underdogs – give the

less powerful a voiceBecker = interactionalistWhat method does he favour, why?

Gouldner

Gouldner criticises Becker – romantic and sentimental

and 20th century positivist for being subservient (submissive/controlled) to their paymasters

He argues that all research is inevitably influenced by values (personal/money)

Summary of theorists

Complete the gap fill activity – how much do you remember!!

Website activities!

www.sociology.uk.net

Typical exam question on this topic –

Assess the view that values can and should be kept out of sociological research.

33 marks (45 minutes) p275 Webb

Plenary task

Write down on your exit card 3 questions relating to this theoretical topic. We will use them in a quiz in our next theory lesson!Homework reminder!!!Extended writing 1000 words, is sociology a science due FRIDAY-

Tomorrow!!!!