EK313 block 2 week 12/ unit 11
Ch 10
Martyn Hammersley
Methodological ideas
Reilly et al study
4yr olds increase exercise= lower BMI
*causal variable (level of activity) and observing whether the outcome of interest (level of obesity) changes,* MM
*randomised controlled trials, in common with other kinds of experimental research, is that they involve researchers introducing an intervention *
Who is in which group is randomly allocated. This is deemed to be more standardised. The word random is rubbish, as the comment below says, groups with similar backgrounds are pitted against one another. If 'random' then chance may put all the lower socio economic lot in the control group or ice versa. As comment & chapter say- this was factored in - so why say 'random'??? In the test group you create a particular variation, in this case exercise, to see if an effect occurs. The control group do not have this change.
Positivist
Positivism was an influential methodological philosophy in social science in the twentieth century, and its influence has continued into the twenty-first.
origins of positivism lie in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, although the label was not invented until the nineteenth century. This approach involved a rejection of prevalent beliefs about the world derived from religious books or from speculative theorising, in favour of careful empirical investigation. It insisted that, unless reliable conclusions could be reached by this means, we should simply acknowledge our ignorance rather than invent plausible stories to fill gaps in our knowledge.
I love this!!
Science is king. Newton's law of relativity etc. It sounds great in theory yet, in practice, social science is not that b&w.When observing people variables cannot be so controlled (at least not ethically). There are too many influential factors so there is no clear cut answer.
The term ‘positivism’ was invented by the French philosopher Auguste Comte, and what he meant by it is a worldview that recognises how human beings have progressed from mystical and religious outlooks to an understanding of the world based on scientific knowledge and principles.
positivist ideas have informed non-experimental research [too], such as survey research based on the use of questionnaires. Here data are collected about a range of variables which it is suspected are related to one another. eg, it may be suspected that children’s playing video games that involve a high level of violence is related to the degree to which they are aggressive in their attitudes and actions towards others.
Behaviour of people (not just CYP) is too nuanced to be studied in a clinical positivist manner.
I think the main problem with this question is suggesting a positivist approach is being applied in any present day study attempting to understand the behaviour of CYP. Maybe its happening in other countries behind closed doors?!
Of course, it may be suspected that other factors could affect this outcome variable, such as gender. In order to allow for this, the comparison of those playing violent video games and those not doing so would be carried out separately for girls and boys; and similarly for any other variables that are judged likely to affect the outcome variable.
how do you judge 'violence/ aggression' ? Survey are subjective/ opinion. If main origin of positivist is empirical research then surveys are not positivism!!!? if one argues main characteristic of positivism is causal relationships then maybe. But scientists who pioneered positivism will turn in graves as surveys etc garnering opinions are the antithesis of empirical/ scientific inquiry!!
To be true to the origins of positivism then clinical trials must be very controlled which would be deemed unethical today
no consensus about answers to these questions amongst researchers today...many believe that positivism is inappropriate in studying most if not all aspects of the lives of children and young people.
Interpretivists view social inquiry as necessarily different from the approach typical of the physical sciences.. . human behaviour is quite different in character from that of physical objects. In particular, the sorts of actions that people engage in, and the consequences of those actions, are mediated by interpretive processes, i.e. people perceive their surroundings in ways that are shaped by socio-cultural contexts and they engage in a process of actively making sense of what they see and hear, and they do this in relation to their own distinctive concerns rather than simply passively responding to external stimuli. . . in order to understand what they do, and why, it is necessary to find some means of accessing their perspectives on the world, the problems they see themselves facing, and so on.
Interpretivism
But . . .constructionists suggest that people construct understandings of themselves and their world on particular occasions, for particular purposes, and for specific audiences, rather than having some all-purpose perspective.. . may draw on multiple discourses that circulate within the contexts in which they operate. In addition, whereas interpretivists assume that it is possible, albeit sometimes difficult, for researchers to understand other people’s perspectives, constructionists raise questions about this, perhaps emphasising the extent to which researchers are themselves necessarily engaged in a process of construction: making sense of other people and their actions, rather than discovering the truth about these.
typically assumes that people operate with stable perspectives, at least within particular types of context, in terms of which they make sense of the world and their own position within it,
Constructionism shares many of the assumptions of interpretivism
Constructionism
based on chapter 10/ in response to module questions
Qualitative research looks beyond numbers and box ticking and aims to find out the individual stories. There is a freedom to delve and explore. However, I have issue with this as if unstructured questions, just because someone does not say something does not mean they do not think or feel this too. They just did not go down that path.
Interpretivism and constructionism both disagree with the scientific structure and beliefs of positivism. Works in the natural sciences but humans are more complex and nuanced than physical phenomena and even other animals. There is not simply cause and effect.
Interpretitivists apparently believe people will act a particular way in all scenarios. Although this is only added as a difference when discussing constructivism, not in either set up/ explanation of interpretivism itself. Whilst constructivists highlight how people are so complex that they will react not only different from one another but each individual will react differently in various scenarios. Hammersley states that 'the constructivist perspective is rarely fully applied (Foster yet al., 1996)', I would argue this is because to be fully applied means appreciating the futility of the research process so 'researchers' themselves will never fully apply this standpoint as holding this purist perspective makes them redundant/ negates their existence. Only non- researchers can fully embrace constructivism. Enter stage left!
module comment does not answer the question we were posed!!!
Border/ Greek Cypriots
Christou and Spyrou
ref in chapter 10
the education of Greek Cypriots centered on the ‘I don’t forget’ slogan, which infuses all aspects of their school activities and in many ways serves to maintain stark distinctions between ‘us’ and ‘others’ (Christou, 2006, 2007; Philippou, 2005; Spyrou, 2000, 2002; Zembylas, 2010; Zembylas and Bekerman, 2008). p.306
*parents . . .reactivating stereotypes and social fears about ‘the Turk’ who is the enemy and therefore not to be trusted under any circumstances (Spyrou, 2002)* p.307
reflecting similar arguments often brought up by adults p. 309
'Critical' research
my comments on module...
To study/evaluate the phenomena itself. About abolishing oppression and exploitation of particular groups. Parallels with Marxism but that was 'social classes' now about emancipation, rights and equality for all persecuted groups (race, sexuality, gender, age etc) 'Geared towards political goals' Hammersley, ch 10, p.183.
Depends what you mean. There is a difference between empowering the downtrodden and equality. For equality it should have been highlighted that the Turks and Turkish Cypriots were no different (as one child said, they're nice it was their forefathers). Equality is about a fresh start. Misplaced goal for emancipation and power could be seen as retaining the ingrained hatred and distrust of the 'others'.
Greek Cypriot paper. . . do not indicate any broader theory about how the situation developed and what must be done in order to bring about desirable change.