1 of 5

Slide Notes

Values - beliefs about what's important

Comte; Marx; Durkheim = sociology uncovering social facts, society is influenced by value systems which are separate to individuals.

Weber = disagrees, facts and judgements about facts are separate.

Values influence choice of study, interpretation of data, deciding how to use findings.
DownloadGo Live

Sociological Research and Values

Published on Nov 07, 2016

AQA A Level Sociology: overview of the links between sociological research and values from different perspectives. Covers what is required for Yr 1 & 2 by the specification.

View Outline

MORE DECKS TO EXPLORE

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

1.

Values in Sociology

Values - beliefs about what's important

Comte; Marx; Durkheim = sociology uncovering social facts, society is influenced by value systems which are separate to individuals.

Weber = disagrees, facts and judgements about facts are separate.

Values influence choice of study, interpretation of data, deciding how to use findings.
Photo by burrows.nichole28
2.

Value-Free

researcher's ideology should not be involved

no judgement about 'good' or 'bad'

everything interpreted objectively

end use of research is irrelevant

BUT is this possible?

20th C Positivists say YES, value neutral; soc as science; gov use research to solve social problems, but they decide how, not sociologists
Photo by Bill McIntyre
3.

Value-Laden

decision to research at all is value-laden, someone has decided to research it...

difficult to avoid bias - think about different research methods, which ones can fully avoid bias?

Photo by jens kuu
4.

Committed

Marxist/Feminist - deliberately research issues they believe in - their intent is to make society 'better'

Gouldner(1975) - value-free is impossible/undesirable

Becker - committed = taking sides, which is what sociologists should do for the 'underdog'
Photo by eschipul
5.

other issues

funding; career prospects; culture....

mrs j

http://mrsjsociology.wordpress.com