4. Objectivity and values

• 1. Comte & Durkheim - Classical Soc


  The creation of a better society was not the matter of subjective values but about what's better for society.

  Sociology's job is about discovering truth about soc to better it and get rid of social issues.

  • Positivists - quantitative social facts e.g. suicide/ religion, social integration - cause & effect.
• 1. Marx - classical sociologist


  We can study soc through historical analysis

  Analysing society's data means we can deliver a better society.
• Can we research society objectively?


  Three types of views:

  1. It's both possible and desirable to keep our views/ opinions out of sociological research.
  2. Sociologists are humans studying humans, it's impossible to keep our values out of research.
  3. It's desirable to use your values to study society - COMMITTED SOCIOLOGY.
• 2. Feminists - NOT classical sociologists


  We are social members of society, therefore we experience society.

  • Feminist experiences of patriarchy influence the research conducted.
  • Feminists would argue that your experiences help understand social issues to develop society.

  Therefore, you can't keep your own experiences out of your research.
• 3. Weber - classical sociologist


  You can't distinguish between values and facts. We can't derive facts from values or vice versa.

  • Research may show that divorcees are more likely to commit suicide, but there's nothing about the fact that compels us to accept the value; they belong to different realms.
• 3. Weber - classical sociologist


  There are roles for values in research:

  1. Values are a guide to what we research. We research parts of society that have value - relevance to us.
  2. Data collection & hypothesis testing. We still need unbiased social facts, so values should be kept out of the fact-gathering process.
  3. Values in interpretation of data. It's important to declare our values when we interpret data, so others can determine if our interpretation is biased.
• 3. Committed Sociology (CS)


  Sociologists shouldn't just declare their values, they should take a side. It's not possible, nor desirable to keep values out of research.
• 3. CS - Gunner


  Value free sociology is

  1. Impossible - soc views will be evident in work
  2. Undesirable - without values to guide research, you're just selling services.
• 3. Committed Sociology


  CS would say you should pick the side of the less powerful (underdogs) to make a difference to them. E.g. Mental health patients.

  • Geoffman: to understand the impact of being institutionalised, you've got to take the side of the patient.

  Sociologists should take the side of those underrepresented, committed to ending their oppression by unmasking the ways the powerful maintain their oppression.
• 2. ish - Funding and careers


  Most sociological research is funded by someone else. As a result, the body that funds the research dictates the direction of it (and Q's).

  The research is therefore going to embody the values of the paymaster, E.g. funding bodies have blocked publication of research because it goes against their interests.
• 2. ish - Funding and careers


  Sociologists themselves want to further their careers which then influences their research and topics studied.

  • Gouldner says research is inevitably influenced by values, whether it's the funding body or the sociologist.
• Objectivity & Relativism


  Are findings a reflection of values? or is it a true picture of society?

  • If it's a reflection of values then it's difficult to know which version of reality is true.
• Relativism argues:

  • Different social groups have different views on what is true. They each see the world through their own perspective.
  • There's no independent way of judging which view is truer, so ther's no objective truth (just truth plurals).
  • What you believe is true is true - for you.

  Therefore it's extremely difficult to have objective truths about society, our understanding is just a range of values.