Olson - Lesson 1 - Research Methods

1. RESEARCH METHODS
SOC 101 - Intro. To Sociology
Dick Olson - Assoc. Prof.
Lake Region State College

2. Research Model
“A set of rules, principles and procedures
that guides scientific investigation.”
The following are the basic steps followed
by sociologists to ensure good research:
1) Define the problem (choose a topic)
2) Review the literature
3) Formulate hypotheses
4) Choose a research design

3. Research Model
5) Gather the data
6) Analyze the findings
7) Draw conclusions
It is important for the sociologist to follow
these steps in order for their research to be
considered valid.

4. Difficulties in Research
1) The mere act of investigating social
behavior may alter the very behavior being
studied.
• Also called the “Hawthorne effect.”
2) People have emotions, motives and other
highly individual personality characteristics
• Also called “Social Desirability Bias.”

5. Difficulties in Sociological
Research
3) The origins of human behavior are
complex, involving social, historical and
psychological factors.
4) Ethically it is not permissible to perform
certain types of experiments on humans
beings.
5) Sociologists are human too.

6. Types of Research Designs
Experiments - “Studying the
relationship between 2 or more
variables under carefully controlled
conditions. 2 types include:
• Lab - mostly used when there is an
emphasis on control.
• Field - subjects studied in their natural
setting or environment.

7. Research Designs
Surveys - “Questionnaires used to get
facts about a specific group of people
and find out the relationship between
the facts.”
• Most frequently used technique
• Population - The total group of people
whose attitudes or behavior the
sociologist is interested in.

8. Research Designs
• Sample - “a smaller number of
individuals drawn from the larger
population.
• Representative?
• Generalize?
• Random selection?
• Response rates important (60%)

9. Research Designs
Observational Studies - “an intensive
examination of a particular group,
event, or social process.”
Two types include:
• Detached observation - researcher
observes behavior from a distance and
subjects may not know they are being
studied.

10. Research Designs
• Participant observation - method in
which the researcher becomes directly
involved in the social behavior being
studied.
• Most preferred by sociologists
Kitty Genovese story
Laud Humphrey’s “Tearoom Trade”

11. Cooley’s “Looking-Glass Self”
1) We imagine how we appear to
others.
2) We imagine how others judge our
appearance.
3) We develop feelings about, and
responses to, these judgements.