SOC 1001 Lecture 2: Ch. 2 Research Methods Notes
Ch.: 2
Hypothesis
• A testable explanation of a problem, phenomena, or observation
• Proposed relationship between 2 variables, usually with a stated relationship
o Positive: variables move in same direction
o Negative: variables move in opposite directions
Example
• Research Question
o Does childhood social class predict preferences for favored behaviors
in the medical field?
• Hypothesis
o Higher parental social class is associated with the preference to gather
information and those involved in healthcare decisions
• Null (Alternative) Hypothesis
o High parental social class is not associated with the preference to
gather information and to be involved in healthcare decisions
Relationships
• Causation- when a change in one variable causes a change in the other
o Time Order
▪ Reverse causality
o Correlation-simultaneous change in 2 variables
▪ Does not imply causation
▪ Spurious Relationships- false relationships
o Ruling Out Alternative Cause
▪ Moderating variable- influence relationships between
independent and dependent variables
Method Approaches
• Quantitative- information that is in, or can easily be converted into numerical
form
o Data collection- surveys, questionnaires, structured interviews
o Analysis stats
o Ex: On a scale of 1-5… In the last year how many times… What is the
highest level of school you completed…
• Qualitative- information that cannot be converted to numerical form
o Data collection- participant observations, ethnography, open ended
interviews
o Analysis- detail, describe, document
o Ex: tell me about your experiences… What does X mean to you..
• Experiments are rare in sociology because people are more likely to act
directly, people act weird
