SOCC31H3 Lecture : Lecture 1
Document Summary
Logical, common sense assumptions may lead to misconceptions and misunderstandings. What is the effect of divorce: not all divorce leads to depression, but can make a person happier. Experiment: type of research where the researcher manipulates one or more independent variables: experimental (or treatment) group: group that is manipulated, control group: group that is not manipulated. Limitation to experimentation is that it is not real life. Benefits: cost effective, ability to generalize, investigate numerous independent variables. Study books, pictures, magazines, etc: may be the only method available. Going through medical records of immigrants and non-immigrants to see who has needed more from the health care system. Research where the researcher actually participates in the daily life of the people under study (openly or covertly) Limitations: ethical concerns, external validity, time consuming. Research using data collected by another researcher. Benefits: cost effective, sometimes usually only method. Limitations: limited to what is available, no control over what was asked, how or why.
