Sociology chapter 2 PDF

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9/05 Chapter 2 Sociological Research

Reasons for research: ● Challenge our commonly held beliefs ● Solve social problems Science = objectivity ● ●

Objectivity: scientist interpret their data on basis of merit, and they don’t let personal biases affect their work. Ways to maximize objectivity: - carefully design your research - state your theoretical perspective - practice verifiability: **repeat studies that have already been done Basic research concepts:

causation: ● Events occur in nonrandom predictable ways, and one event leads to another (a is making b happen) Hypothesis: ● Speculative statement about the relationship between two or more factors known as variables Independent variable vs dependent variable ● Independent variable: cause ● Dependent variable: effect ● HOW TO FIGURE IT OUT ON A TEST: ASK THESE QUESTIONS ● The independent variable causes the dependent variable ● The dependent variable depends on the independent variable

EXAMPLE: I hypothesize that studying more hours per week leads me to get higher grades Independent: studying Dependent: grades

Establishing a causal relationship steps:

9/05 Chapter 2 Sociological Research

1. Establish a correlation - a correlation is one variable associated with a change in the other variable (connection) - positive correlation is when the independent and dependent variable change in the SAME direction ***BOTH GOING UP OR BOTH GOING DOWN*** - Negative correlation is when the independent and dependent variable change is opposite directions ***IV GOING UP, DV GOING DOWN*** ***IV GOING DOWN, DV GOING UP*** 2. Avoid a spurious correlation - A spurious correlation is when the causal relationship you think you see between two variables is actually being produced by another variable As ice cream consumption increases ===== murder rate goes up (spurious) Technically, the heat is what makes both of them increase. But we think that ice cream and murder have something in common….but it’s really the heat. 3. Note the time order - You have to make sure in real life that your IV happens before your DV 4. Multiple causation - An event occurs as the result of several factors acting in combination...