Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

PLEASE can someone help me (AQA Sociology A2)

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grace_xo

I've only gone over a little bit of religion and social change today as i have a maths exam tomorrow. But I have an evening of religion revision to look forward to afterwards... :frown:

Good luck with your maths exam. :smile:

Reply 41

grace_xo

Andy Conda

Good luck with your maths exam. :smile:

Thanks! All i'm gonna say is that i hope sociology goes A LOT better, lol.
Back to revision...

Reply 42

Salastico7

Hey guys, I haven't revised theory AT ALL! Do you think cramming methods is do-able by the 4th? Can i get through the paper without theory?

Is anybody doing Power and Politics, how are you finding it?

Reply 43

Andy Conda

Salastico7

They have in the past given two essay question on theory. I think you should look atleast revise Fuctionalism, Postmodernism and Interactionalism. Conflict theories came up in June 2008 so I doubt they will appear. Also revise the value-free/ value-Laden debate.

ahh very nervous about this exam.

Reply 44

grace_xo

I'll cry if they give two theory questions! I just can't quite get my head round it.

Reply 45

Salastico7

Andy Conda

Thanks!

I've entered myself for sociology so I've been using the themes and perspectives and the AQA A2 Sociology in Focus book. I've been told the latter books is too sketchy! is that true?

Reply 46

Jamsie_853

It is true Salastico, my sociology teachers hate using it. We use haralambos (which my class used to call me all the time as I love it and like reading it!) and a lot of different sources.

Reply 47

Exon88

Jamsie_853

It is true Salastico, my sociology teachers hate using it. We use haralambos (which my class used to call me all the time as I love it and like reading it!) and a lot of different sources.

CGP revision guides all the way..thats what got me though last year =)

lol

Reply 48

chocoholic4

Oh Gosh I'm dreading this on Thursday!
This thread is helping me though and thanks to whoever posted the exam papers - much appreciated!! :smile:

Reply 49

missrosiex

ahhh

i hatee theory and methods!
ive been revising quite abit and i swear nothing has gone in...ive got a terrible feeling im just going to be sitting in this exam litrally have no idea what to write :frown:

Reply 50

flexo

could someone please do like a checklist for can sociology be value-free? I have no notes on it and a lil essay or bullet points would be great

thanks

Reply 51

missrosiex

i was just going to type the above question haha!

well ditto it...if anyone could provide anything about value free etc as said above would be greatly appreciated :smile:

Reply 52

Exon88

The decision to research in the first place is 'value laden' - someone has to decide that the research is worth spending money on. Some say that research which the state or business want to see is most likely to get funding. Marxists believe that research is mainly produced from ruling class interests and consequently sociology is been bought.

Its difficult to completely avoid bias and interview effects..e.g. the researcher has to interpret the participants responses (could be bias..even accidental)..the interviewer can unknowingly give off signals or ask questions that lead the respondent towards certain answers.

Questionnaires - e.g. the use of lead in questions...which may lead the respondent to a particular answer.

Some Marxists and Feminists deliberately choose research that gives and end result that they approve of. They believe that sociology should make value judgements about society and suggest ways it could be better.

ALSO..i think you could include things like...

subjective and qualatative approaches being more value laden, as they focus more on the individuals reactions, leading to interpretations rather than objectivity. E.g. theory like social action theory and methods like participant observation, unstructured interviews etc.. where the researcher is more involved in the studies.

ALSO...id include the opposite side..

like stuctural theories and how objective methods such as questionnaires and reseach resulting in statistics will often be more value free ..etc.

ive probably missed quite a bit out that you could use..so if any1 can tell me more then plz do =)

Reply 53

flexo

thank you so much :smile:

Reply 54

Andy Conda

Do we base political and personal values in theory and research?

Basically there are four main views to look at:

-Value free (Values should not iunfluence)
-Weber
-Value-laden (Values inevitably do influence)
-Commited sociology

Note the sociologist are in bold. :p:

Positivist - [VALUE-FREE]

There is a sig. opinion in sociology deriving from Durkheim and Comte, that we must seek to copy the methodology of physical sciences such as chemistry & biology. One of the key ideas these sociologists have taken from physical sciences is that of the importance of objectivity. Social reality is an 'objective entity' so capable of being measured.

So the nature of sociological reasearch is no different from that of physical sciences - both brances of science which study a series of phenomena that exist totally independent of the scientist and which can be measured ansd classified.

Davidson concludes that personal biases and political opinions of researches are irrelevant as long as the research is well designed and there is no attempt to dissort findings. Therefore posivists believe that only a value free sociology is acceptable and if values do influence reaseach then that work is 'contaminated' by subjective feelings, thus, deemed not useful.

Weber - [IN THE MIDDLE]

Weber makes two important points which are usuful in thinking about this issue:

-values are central feature all all societies and so are at the heart of a sociological study.
-Sociologist are part of the societies they study and so it follows they will be influenced by those values.

We can see from Weber own research that values influcenced his choice of topic (bureaucracy). He felt this was a stage that would inevitably be influcenced. But Weber also believed that after the choice of method, witht he right care and methods, research itself could be value free.

Interpretivists - [VALUE-LADEN]

Interpretivsts were partially influcenced by Weber, but they disagreed his view that methods and techniques could be devloped which would allow some degree of value freedom in reaseach.

Instead they argue that 'objectivity' is impossible and that every part of the research process is influenced by beliefs held by the sociologists and the subjects involved.

Example - Townsend famous study of poverty in the UK, where he asked if people has a fridge. Townends belief that not havig a fridge is a indicator of poverty is based on his values. The respondents answer may be influcenced by the concern not to look poor, so their answers reflect there values. Also the interpretations of the data produced will be subjective .All these points identify that objectivity is near impossible!

Goldner points out that all sociologist have personal goals and ambitions. They was to get published and be renowned for thier field. These desires can either knowingly or subconsciously enter there research. Similary, socioloists find certain areas of study more interesting. Why are they drawn to these area' in the first place? Why spend money? Often reflect the desire to research something close or important to them. For example, feminist writers like Oakley are drawn to the subjects which are of particular interest to women. Ultimately all our thoughts and actions are based on a particular set of values and its impossible to escape these. This sociology is value-laden, inevitably influenced by the sociologist.

Goldner also points out that Weber writings on value free being possible was influced by the 'prussian' goverment at the time (against intellectial freedom). Weber was merely trying to prevent the goverment from interfering in sociology by claiming it was value-free.

[COMMITED SOCIOLOGY]

Some sociologists claim that sociology should bot be value free, but should have some explicit values guising its approach. However if is sociology is in fact value-laden what side to we take in reasearch?

'Who's side are we on?'

famous debate between Becker and Goldner. Becker called for sociology to look at the view from the 'underdog'. In given them a voice we can discover new 'facts'. Hence Becker labelling theory is based around in the small individual experiences.

Goldner attacked Berker claiming this is merly strengning the status quo. He argues we need to focus on the super-structures of society- the structures which cause oppression.

[MARXIST AND FEMINIST]

Both perspectives describe the existance of ideology in society. Both claim 'their' views are objective and value-free. They belive they speak the truth about class and gender inequalities. New right counter this by arguing marxim ignored the the advantages of capitalist society.

[CONCLUSION]

There is clearly a problem for positivists who claim they achieve "value freedom". Because the nature of sociology values canno't easily be discarded. Many sociologists strive for objectivity even though they know the problems, since without any attempt to be fair, findings will be ignored.

Reply 55

missrosiex

ahh thanks so much :smile:

good stuff you got going on there andy!,thanks for the sociologist references aswell,ive been struggling at sorting out whos who haha.

this exam is so horrible though..damn theory and methods! :frown:

Reply 56

Andy Conda

missrosiex

ahh thanks so much :smile:

It's all to draining! I'm sat outside revising though which is nice.

Reply 57

flexo

thank you loads, that has helped a lot xx

Reply 58

missrosiex

Andy Conda

It's all to draining! I'm sat outside revising though which is nice.

yeah same! weathers really nice though and i keep getting sidetract on the internet or falling asleep in the sun....methods is definetly goin well then! hah x

draining is DEFINETLY the exact word i would use to describe revision for this :frown: