Official Statistics

Cards (36)

  • What are official statistics?
    Official statistics are published by governments or official bodies.
  • What types of data do official statistics include?
    They include registrations like births, marriages, and deaths, as well as survey data like the census.
  • What is a theoretical advantage of official statistics according to positivists?
    Positivists see official statistics as objective social facts.
  • How do official statistics reduce bias according to positivists?
    The collection of statistics is not influenced by the researcher.
  • How can official statistics be used in sociological research?
    They can be used to test hypotheses and establish cause and effect relationships.
  • Give an example of a hypothesis that can be tested using official statistics.
    Material deprivation will result in lower school performance.
  • What can detailed analysis of statistics allow researchers to do?
    It allows researchers to make predictions of future events.
  • How did Durkheim use official statistics in his research?
    He made predictions about social control and suicide rates.
  • What is a criticism of official statistics from interpretivists regarding cause and effect conclusions?
    Statistics can easily be biased at the time they are recorded.
  • Why are official statistics considered representative?
    They are based on large data sets, such as the entire population in the census.
  • What is an example of how exam league tables use official statistics?
    They are based on returns from all schools across the country.
  • What is a limitation of the Crime Survey for England & Wales?
    It is based on a sample of only 50,000 people.
  • Why are official statistics considered reliable by positivists?
    They have standardised categories and collection procedures.
  • How can the standard definitions imposed by the government benefit sociological research?
    They allow for useful comparisons over time.
  • What do interpretivists argue about the reliability and validity of official statistics?
    They claim that official statistics are low in reliability and validity.
  • What is a practical advantage of using official statistics?
    They are readily available, cheap, and quick to use.
  • How does the government facilitate the collection of official statistics?
    Only governments can conduct large-scale surveys and enforce registrations.
  • How did Durkheim benefit from official statistics in his research?
    He accessed suicide statistics of many European countries easily and cheaply.
  • What is a limitation regarding the availability of official statistics?
    Some statistics may be withheld by the state for reasons like national security.
  • How can official statistics assist in social policy decision-making?
    They can help governments plan for future needs, like school places.
  • What is an example of how statistics can be used to monitor the effectiveness of schools?
    OFSTED uses statistics to evaluate school performance.
  • How can official statistics be used to compare variables over time?
    They allow for comparisons of educational achievement or crime rates.
  • What ethical issues are associated with official statistics?
    There are no major ethical issues since they are in the public domain.
  • How do interpretivists view official statistics in terms of social construction?
    They see them as social constructions shaped by decision-making processes.
  • What do Marxists claim about the ideological function of official statistics?
    They claim that governments manipulate statistics to portray themselves positively.
  • How do feminists critique official statistics?
    They argue that statistics often reflect a patriarchal method of research.
  • What is a limitation of statistics regarding individual motivations?
    Statistics lack insight into the meanings and motivations of individuals.
  • How can Durkheim's analysis of suicide be critiqued?
    It ignores individual motivations behind suicide.
  • What is a criticism regarding the objectivity of statistics?
    Statistics can be biased at the time they are recorded.
  • What is a limitation of using official statistics regarding the information required?
    Data may not include the specific information needed by researchers.
  • How do definitions used by the state affect sociological research?
    They may differ from sociological definitions, complicating research.
  • What is a challenge in making international comparisons using statistics?
    Different definitions used in different countries complicate comparisons.
  • What are the strengths and weaknesses of using official statistics in sociological research?
    Strengths:
    • Objective social facts
    • Non-biased and credible measures
    • Large data sets provide representativeness
    • Readily available and cost-effective

    Weaknesses:
    • Social constructions influenced by recording processes
    • Potential bias in data collection
    • Lack of insight into individual motivations
    • Definitions may differ from sociological standards
  • What are the theoretical perspectives on official statistics in sociology?
    • Positivists view them as objective and reliable.
    • Interpretivists argue they are social constructions.
    • Marxists claim they serve ideological functions.
    • Feminists critique them for reflecting patriarchal biases.
  • What are some examples of official statistics used in sociological research?
    • Crime statistics collected by police and courts
    • Educational attainment statistics from schools
    • Census data representing the entire population
    • Suicide statistics analyzed by researchers
  • What are the implications of using official statistics for social policy decision-making?
    • Helps governments plan for future needs (e.g., school places)
    • Monitors effectiveness of policies and interventions
    • Targets high crime areas for prevention strategies
    • Provides data for evaluating social issues