Topic 4 - Objectivity and Values

• Objectivity


  Finding facts, without bias, detached, not involving own opinions
• Subjectivity


  From your own viewpoint, involving own opinion, not detached, biassed
• Values


  Beliefs, opinions and prejudices, unconscious biases
• Classical Sociologists


  • Marx
  • Weber
  • Durkheim
  • Comte
• Comte & Durkheim (Positivists)


  • The creation of a better society was not a matter of values or personal opinions about what was best but instead discovering the truth about how society works
  • We would be able to say objectively and with scientific certainty what is best for society by using quantitative data (hypothesis testing/establishing cause and effect)
• Marx


  • Can be value free through looking at historical analysis and human development - looking at patterns and trends
  • Argues that society does have social facts and we can use these to improve society
• Weber


  • There is a distinction between value judgement (views) and facts but we cannot derive one without the other - you need both
  • It doesn't matter what your own views and opinions are on what you are studying; as long as you use scientific methods to research, the facts will remain
• Ways values can be used in sociological research


  • Values are a guide to research (Value relevance) - values allow us to select aspects of reality to study
  • Data collection & Hypothesis testing - despite our own values, we can still be unbiased if we use quantitative research methods - as unbiased scientific data will be produced (For instance, we don't ask leading questions in research)
  • Values in the interpretation of data - values become important when interpreting data; it is important to declare any biases
  • Values & Sociologists as a citizen - we are members of society so we will have values but we can still get social truths as long as we declare our values and keep them out of the process of fact gathering