objectivity

• Objectivity


  The ability to examine society and have a value-free approach using scientific quantitative research methods
• Subjectivity


  The view that sociology cannot be value free and is inevitably influenced by the values of the sociologists, funding bodies, and research participants
• Durkheim's research into suicide was an attempt to examine society from an objective viewpoint
• Durkheim's research


  • Examined quantitative data in the form of comparing official statistics on suicide
  • Used the comparative method to examine social differences between the victims of suicide
• Durkheim's method was criticized as not being truly objective as the data was based on subjective judgments of coroners
• Durkheim was also criticized as his methodology was theological in nature, taking the effects of suicide rates and trying to find a cause rather than developing a hypothesis and testing it
• Positivist view


  Objectivity is possible in research by focusing on directly observable physical actions and behaviors, using standardized methods, and numerical data
• Interpretivist view


  Objectivity is impossible when studying human behavior as people are not predictable, and research needs to be subjective to understand the meanings and motivations behind actions
• Guldner's proposal


  • Sociologists should state their values upfront so their peers can analyze how these may have influenced the research
  • This allows the research process itself to remain objective while acknowledging the sociologist's subjective interpretation
• Weber's view


  • Sociologists must strive to be value-free in their research, rejecting hypotheses if unproven
  • Data, whether quantitative or qualitative, should be collected and analyzed in an objective manner
• Positivists argue sociologists should be detached from their choice of topic to be objective, but interpretivists suggest this is not possible as sociologists are still influenced by factors like funding bodies and career aspirations
• Interpretivists believe sociology should reflect the interests of those being studied and their relationships with those in control, rather than aiming for objectivity
• Positivists believe sociology can be value free
• Comte- sociology can be value free if it adopts the methods of the natural sciences, using quantitative methods like large scale surveys and experiments. Aims to be detached from the respondents
• Sociology can be value free if it adopts practical strategies to do research such as getting colleagues to check your work and scrutinise the research or giving findings back to the respondents to ensure you've portrayed what they said in the right way
• Weber- sociology can't be value free- interpretivists. The nature of sociology means it's impossible to detach yourself from your values as they have interests in society which will influence their research like the topics and methods they choose to study
• value commitment- becker and gouldner- the whole point of sociology is to change society and make it better so we should be committed to our values eg feminists research women because they're interested in supporting women
• postmoderism- sociology can't be value free as there's no such thing as an objective truth- value freedom