SOC101Y1 Chapter Notes - Chapter 20: Sociological Theory, Intentionality, Ethnocentrism
Document Summary
The systematic nature of sociological research comes, in part from the methods sociologists use. Systematic sociological study integrates sound theory with careful methods. Science needs subjectivity but it cannot be overwhelmed by subjectivity. What appears to us as reality is filtered or screened. Values and expectations influence our perceptions of reality, but they do not completely determine what we see. Reality does not exist as some natural scientific judge. Observer bias = making unconscious mistakes in classifying or selecting observations; is now commonly discussed as a danger to good methodological procedure. Good research methods are designed to minimize the types of errors; these methods do not eliminate the biasing effect that values and expectations have on scientific research, but seek to minimize their impact. Scientific ideas become accepted only after scrutiny by the scientific community. Links must be demonstrated by presenting research findings at scientific conferences, subjecting findings to peer review, and ensuring that research results can be replicated.
