sociology and objectivity

• value-free sociology


  The view of Max Weber that sociologists must not allow their personal biases to affect the conduct of their scientific research.
• Sociology can be value free

  1) Positivism

  - Approach sees sociology as scientific and objective.

  - Sociology must therefore be value free.

  - Emphasis is placed on reliability.

  -Results must be verified against other social facts.

  2) Weber

  - Generally accepts a scientific approach, although he does focus upon verstehen and meaning.

  -Individuals view the world from a value-laden perspective. The values of the researcher will influence the choice of topic (Value relevance).

  -Research reflects contemporary issues

  - Once the topic has been selected, then the research must be carried out objectively.
• The early positivists


  Comte and Durkheim:

  Science as helping to "deliver" the good society.

  Science could tell us the values we should hold.

  - Due to sharing the modernists view of the role of sociology they believed the creation of a better society was not a matter of subjective values or personal opinions about what was "best" rather that scientific sociology would unequivocally reveal the correct society and what was really best for society with objective and scientific certainty allowing them to prescribe how things ought to be.

  - Comte regarded sociology as the "queen of the sciences" seeing sociologists as latter-day priests of a new scientific religion of truth.
• Weber


  -Made a sharp distinction between value judgement and facts : indeed a value can neither be proved nor disproved by the facts because they belong in different realms.

  Values have an essential role in sociological research as they are relevant to the sociologist in choosing what to research, in interpreting the data collected and in deciding the use to which the findings should be put. By contrast , the sociologists values must be kept out of the actual process of fact gathering.
• Values as a guide to research Weber


  VALUES ARE ESSENTIAL IN SELECTING WHAT TO STUDY.

  Due to the "meaningless infinity" of facts a sociologist cannot study social reality in its totality and instead they choose which facts to study using value relevance.

  Values are essential in enabling us to select aspects of reality to study and in developing concepts with which to understand these aspects for example feminists value gender equality and this leads them to study women's oppression and to develop concepts such as patriarchy with which to understand it.
• Data collection and hypothesis testing (Weber)

  Values must be kept out of fact collecting and our values must be kept out of the process of using gathered facts to test a hypothesis which must stand or fall solely on whether or not it fits the observed facts. OBJECTIVE UNBIASED COLLECTION KEEP OUT VALUES AND PREJUDICES. NO LEADING QUESTIONS WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR. Their view not our own.
• Values in the interpretation of data (Weber)


  Values become important again when we come to interpret the data we have collected as a theoretical framework , which will be chosen based on values, must be used to set them so that we can understand their significance and draw conclusions from them however this framework must be made explicit and spelled out so that others can see if unconscious bias is present in our interpretation of our data.
• Values and the sociologist as a citizen (Weber)


  The uses to which sociological work is put must not be ignored by sociologists and they must not dodge the moral and political issues their work raises by hiding behind words such as "objectivity" or "value freedom" they must take moral responsibility for the harm their research may do. Einstein spoke out.
• Sociology cannot be value free

  1) Myrdal

  - Objectivity is an ideal to strive for, but it is difficult to achieve.

  - All scientists are prone to bias.

  - Social Scientists are more prone because they are part of the subject matter they study.

  - Sociologists should make their value position clear from the onset.

  2) Interpretivists

  - Sociology is not value-free.

  - Value position is expressed in choice of topic.

  - The sociologists values may be expressed in the interpretation of findings.

  3) Becker

  Against the idea that sociology can be value free.

  Sociologists should be committed to changing society.

  Sociologists should declare "whose side they are on" which will usually be the side of the "underdog" those who are oppressed which means their views are seldom heard unlike the consensus views constructed by the powerful.

  4) Values and research

  Values also penetrate different areas in the research process:

  - Funding of the project- this creates obligations to the funding body which might lead to data bias.

  - Choice of topic- affected by the value relevance of the research for example with feminists often undertaking research on gender issues.

  - Choice of method determines the level of involvement of the researcher.

  - Interpretation of data which is done within certain sociological frameworks.

  5) Kuhn

  Value freedom is a myth even amongst the physical sciences as all scientists are influenced by paradigms ( the concepts, methods , assumptions which form the basis of a particular area of knowledge).

  These must inevitably influence research and the evaluation of conflicting findings acupuncture.

  6) political alignment of sociological perspectives:

  sociological theories are a product of social, political and historical periods. Most of the perspectives can be placed on the political spectrum and due the political nature of these theories it can be said that they are not value free.

  Marxism.Functionalism. NR

  Conclusions:

  - Gouldner argues that values cannot be separated from facts in sociology because of the domains of assumptions. Such assumptions affect the research methods chosen and the types of questions asked- hence Functionalists assume that society is based on value consensus and that existing institutions perform desirable functions. The domain assumptions of Marxists are very different. Such assumptions must have profound effects on the research process.

  - Postmodernists make a number of points: Firstly they criticise the view that rationale, scientific thinking supported by quantifiable evidence is superior to any other way of understanding the social world ; and secondly it is impossible to produce any objective , value free knowledge as they are simply the viewpoint of one particular social group.
• Modern Positivists


  There are two reasons why modern positivists believe that their values should be irrelevant to their research unlike the early positivists who were openly-committed to re-shaping society in certain ways:

  The desire to appear scientific( fact not value science is concerned with therefore morally neutral they should remain mimic status respectability) and the social position of sociology (Gouldner- spiritless technichians- problem takers- leave values behind- hired themselves out to organisations).
• Committed sociology


  Myrdal not only spell out but take sides espouse values and interests of certain groups.

  committed sociologists like Gouldner and Myrdal believe its neither possible nor desirable to keep values out of research.

  Gouldener : imposible (bound to be reflected P)

  Undesirable (without values to guide selling services to highest bidder). cigarettes disease.

  Side - Becker- positivists and functionalists overdogs powerful groups- compassionate stance take side of powerless groups due to their story rarely being heard so it now should be focused on to redress the balance , by identify with and hearing voice hidden side of social reality .Patient. Accused (RRlol)romantic sentimental approach to disadvantaged groups only highlighting those who are "on their backs" the misunderstood, negatively labelled, exotic specimens of deviant behaviour.

  Gouldner - fighting back Marxist. It should be committed to ending their oppression by unmasking the ways in which the powerful maintain their position.
• Funding and careers


  Direction fb embody values interests of paymasters block maybe unacceptable. Further careers influence. fashion. Outspoken censor themselves. Z2. Gouldner inevitable influence.
• Perspectives and Methods


  Different sociological perspectives can be seen as embodying different assumptions and values about how society is or should be. Influence choice of topic to research, concepts to develop and conclusions they reach. Similarly, there is a link between sociologists' methods and their value stance. Selecting methods that produce facts that reflect their outlook and values.
• Objectivity and relativism


  reflect values or true valid picture of society. Relativism.Plural truths no absolute or objective truth. Everyone has their own truth. No independent way of judging whether any view is truer than any other.
• Relativism and Postmodernism


  Postmodernists take a relativist view of knowledge rejecting privileged accounts and meta-narratives such as Marxism.Self-defeating to tell us something that is true but that nothing is actually true. Paradoxical Conclusion self defeating. Factual world women.
• Topic summary


  The early positivists and Marx believed we could discover objective scientific knowledge and use it to improve society. Weber argued that values are essential in deciding what to research, in interpreting findings and determining how they should be used, but must be kept out of the data-collection process. However, 20th century positivists claimed to be "value-free", leading Gouldner to accuse them of being subservient to their paymasters. Becker argues that sociologists should take the side of the underdog. The values of those funding the research play a part in determining hat gets researched. Sociologists own values influence the kinds of research questions they ask, their methods and findings.
• What was the primary goal of early positivists like Comte and Durkheim in sociology?


  To discover the 'truth' about society to improve human life
• How did early positivists believe objectivity and value freedom contributed to sociology?


  They allowed sociologists to determine what is best for society with scientific certainty
• Who saw himself as a scientist and believed in the inevitability of a communist revolution?

  Marx
• What does Weber argue about social facts and values in sociology?


  Social facts cannot tell us how society should be improved, but values can
• According to Weber, what is the term for the importance of values in sociological research?


  Value relevance
• What are the four areas where values play a role in sociological research according to Weber?


  1. Choosing what to research
  2. Data collection and hypothesis testing (values must remain out)
  3. Interpretation of data
  4. Reflecting on consequences of research
• What does Weber believe should guide sociologists in reflecting on the consequences of their research?


  Values should guide sociologists to take action based on their findings
• What did 20th-century positivists argue regarding sociologists and values?


  Sociologists should be value-free
• Why did some sociologists become 'hired hands' according to the study material?


  They helped organizations solve problems, making their own values irrelevant
• What criticism does Gouldner make about American sociologists?


  He calls them 'spiritless technicians'
• What factors might make sociological research value-laden?


  Funding sources and career influences can control research direction
• According to Gouldner, how does values influence research?


  All research is inevitably influenced by values in various aspects
• What do Myrdal and Gouldner argue about value freedom in sociological research?


  • It is impossible to be value-free
  • It is undesirable to be value-free
  • Sociologists should be value-committed
• What does Becker argue about the influence of values in sociology?


  All sociology, including positivist sociology, is influenced by values
• What viewpoint does positivist sociology often take according to Becker?


  It often takes the viewpoint of the powerful
• What does Becker suggest sociologists should do regarding underdogs and powerless groups?


  Look at their perspectives to reveal new dimensions of social reality
• What does Gouldner argue about describing the underdog's life?


  It is not enough; we must be committed to ending their oppression
• What question does the study material raise about objectivity and relativism in sociology?


  Are findings just reflections of values rather than objective facts?