Sociological Research

How do people conduct research in sociology?

There are 3 frameworks for sociological investigation:

1. Positivist Sociology
   • Scientific observation of social behaviour
   • Weber’s model of “value-free” research (neutrality, objectivity)
   • Strive to reveal the truth - “search for law-like statements about the social world”
2. Interpretive Sociology
   • Focuses on the meanings people attach to their social world
   • Max Weber - Verstehen
   • Not just what people do, but why they do it
3. Critical Sociology
   • Focuses on the need for change
   • Asks moral and political questions
   • “challenges both the social injustice and practical consequences of social inequality”

Research Methods

1. Survey: series of statements in a questionnaire or interview
2. Experiment: cause & effect, highly controlled conditions
3. Field Research: participant observation, ethnography, case studies
4. Secondary Data or Textual Analysis: re-analyzing data collected by others
5. Content Analysis: especially for media studies