What is it about theories in the natural and human science that make them convincing? A theory is a supposition or a system of ideas intended to explain an idea or occurrence. In the fields of natural and human science, there are many theories that have been declared by experts, in order to explain random occurrences and patterns. Any expert can publish a theory on a specific concept, but in order for that theory to be accepted by society first. This is where the convincing element of a thesis and theory should be very persuasive and eminent.
They wish to rise above the subjective and descriptive data given by the interactionalists. Positivists prefer taking objective social facts as evidence to back up theoretical assumptions. In general, Positivists are bound to use quantitative data as a means of research source. Quantitative data is usually presented in numeric form, and one object of using quantitative data is to achieve precision. Although positivists prefer taking objective social facts into account, it is evident that they are subjective in the source of data they will use, or are bound to use.
Qualitative researches are more for exploratory purposes, the researches allow the data to take them on different directions. Because these are more open to different interpretations, qualitative researches may lead to accusation of bias or personal subjectivity. In quantitative researches the reasoning is logistic and deductive whereas in qualitative researches the research is
Using relevant research, discuss how and why particular research methods are used at the sociocultural level of analysis There are several different research methods used in psychology such as experimentations (lab, field and quasi), naturalistic observations, and studies (case, cross-cultural). The most favourable in SCLOA are naturalistic observations in order to achieve more qualitative research. This is important in social-cultural psychology as the aim is to investigate the influences of social environment on behaviour and thoughts and to do this most effectively high ecological value is desirable. Despite this, there has been some very famous research obtained through the experimental method. The experimental method is a study of cause and effect.
Quantitative data is information that is given in a numerical form. An example of quantitative data would be official statistics. Also information collected by market research surveys and opinion polls usually appear in quantitative data. Quantitative data is favoured by positivists as they feel like society has an objective and it influences its members and forms their behaviours and patterns of behaviour. Positivists believe that sociology is a science and look for cause and effect relationships.
Sociologists carry out their research from a number of theoretical perspectives, and depending on the views they adopt they will have different ideas about the nature of social problems and know how to solve them. Early positivist and functionalist sociologists, such as Comte and Durkheim, would argue that sociology was a science and would discover both the cause of social problems and scientifically based solutions to them. Both positivist and functionalists see social policies beneficial to society as a whole, and contribute to it running smoothly. For example, educational policies help to promote equal opportunity and reduce class boundaries. However Marxists would argue that social problems such as underachievement are simply aspects of a wider structure of class inequality, and unlike functionalists, they do not see the state and its policies beneficial to all members of society.
This paper will evaluate the usefulness of the psychometric approach for understanding personality and human intelligence. Psychometric tests were first created in order to objectively measure intelligence and personality (Eysenck, 1994; Hayes, 2000; Hothersall, 2004; Engler, 2009). As such, it can be said that the psychometric approach for understanding personality and human intelligence is useful as it enables psychological researchers to quantitatively measure intelligence and personality in a scientific manner. Furthermore, such an approach allows for individuals be to placed in categories based on definable characteristics, which better allows psychological research on different subjects, as participants of psychological research can be more easily assigned to different groups or conditions. Thus, the psychometric approach for
Giddens (2009 p.6) defined sociology as ‘‘the scientific study of human life, social groups, whole societies and the human world as such’’. He argued further about sociology by suggesting that, ‘‘it is a dazzling and compelling enterprise, as its subject matter is our own behaviour as social beings’’. Hence, it is opined that sociology is an academic tool that broadly looks at human organisms’ lives in order to explain why they act the way they do. Black (1979 p.18) defines common sense as ‘‘the style of discourse by which people understand reality in everyday life”. Sociology is in one way or another related to science and common sense but it is also in many ways distinct from the two.
SOCIOLOGY A First Look at Sociology What is Sociology? Sociology is the scientific study of human behaviour in groups and of the social forces that influence that behaviour. Sociology focuses on the belief that a scientific analysis of the factors in the social world is one of the most effective and interesting ways to understand human behaviour. Sociology can examine any social issues involving groups of all sizes as well as all phases of people’s lives. Sociologists do not simply declare their beliefs indisputable truths – they do research to determine whether those beliefs are correct.
Discuss the merits and demerits of qualitative and quantitative data in sociological research Sociologists have for a long time been divided on the issue of using either quantitative or qualitative data within their sociological research. Those that employ quantitative data are referred to as positivists. Positivists, according to Haralambos and Holborn, are those sociologists who advocate that society can by studied by using scientific methods within research. Those on the other hand that utilize qualitative data within their research are known as interpretivists. Interpretivists are those who support the use of more humanistic methods within research as they believe society cannot be studied as a science because human behaviour is not governed by society.