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Research Methods - Key Studies - Coggle Diagram
Research Methods - Key Studies
Durkheim - Suicide
Findings:
Not simply psychological, personal choice but societal factors influence
E.g found suicide rates were higher amongst Catholics than Protestants (due to stronger social cohesion and control) men than women, ex-service men
Felt weakening of society (anomie) was repsonsible
More common in single people than those in relationship and less common in those who have children
Social integration - does someone have sense of purpose
Moral regulation - how far individuals actions were determined by norms and values
Methodology
Secondary data - large number of stats
Undertook multivariate analysis - Used multiple indicators - martial status, nationality, religion, education level
Criticisms:
Gibbs & Martin 1964 - use of phrase social integration = too vague & unclear - didn't operationalise this term
Failed to recognise role of individual e.g psychological factors in determining someone behaviour
Douglas 1967(interpretivist) - unreliability of official stats on suicide give misleading outlook on explanation for action of suicide - criticised the research as they should have focussed on the meaning behind the act
Paul Willis - Learning to Labour 1977
Criticisms:
Malestream bias - no girls - but findings were applied to girls as the aim was to find why working class KIDs get wc jobs - affects validity
Hawthorne effect - it was overt research - CA: was over long time, this would diminish
Small research pool - 12 boys - not genralisable - these boys may not reflect wider cohort - they were all white
Reliability:
Not reliable as if repeated by another researcher the findings may be different due to interviewer effect
Validity:
Fairly valid - conclusion based on question of Why do wc kids get wc jobs was developed
Validity would increase as duration of study went on as Hawthorne effect reduced
Methodological pluralism used
Background:
Ethnographic study (in-depth study, typically long-term)
Longitudinal study - 1972-1975 - opportunity sampling
12 wc boys "the lads"
School in Birmingham
Observing: 18 months in school, 6 months in work
Aims: uncover why wc get wc jobs by understanding participants actions from participants pov
Means to aim: range of qualitative research methods
Interviews
Focus groups
Participant observations
Findings:
Formed 'anti-school subculture' - cool to mess round and disrupt lessons
last thing they wanted was praise from teacher - could gain this from peer group
Didn't want to be anything like the "ear'oles"
concluded schools didn't work well as agent of socialisation as pupils actively rejected norms and values
They were aware that they were destined for wc jobs - contrary to Marx's 'false class conciseness'
Laud Humphreys - Tea Room Trade 1970:
Reliable:
No - only brief relationship with interviewees
Valid:
Does offer insight into sexuality + quantitive data
How truthful were responses - homosexuality was still illegal, some may have been fearful of being labelled as gay
Non-particpant observation & structured interviews
Aimed to challenge stereotypes of men who committed impersonal sexual acts with other men in public bathrooms- look at who are these men and their motivations
Many of his findings disputed stereotypes: 54% were married + living with wives
Offered to act as 'watch queen' (gave notice if police turned up) - was able to gain rapport and trust - he then persuaded them to answer questions
To avoid bias - secretly followed some of other men and got their number plates - year later claimed to be health-service interviewer and entered their homes - interviewed them about their martial status, race, age, job
Knerr (1970) found this research helped to persuade police to stop using up resources trying to arrest victimless crimes
Criticms: Nicholas Von Hoffman argued it went to far
Ethically not good - it was covert participate observation - followed people to their homes - didn't tell the particpants about the research
London Riots - 2011 - LSE:
Background:
research into motivations, attitudes, experiences of those who took part in riots
Unstructured interviews with 270 people held in people's homes or neutral areas e.g cafes, restaurants
2.5m tweets relating to the event analysed
quantitive analysis of 1000 court case records
Sampling:
Used snowball sampling
1/3 of sample were 10-17
Almost half = 18-25
4/5 = men
Researchers believed this was not rep of actual ratio of men and women
Jock Young & Hippies 1971:
Studied effects of societal reaction to being labelled deviant and how it could lead to further deviant acts
Carried out ethnographic study into hippie weed users in Notting Hill in the 60s
Found: as police began targeting them there reaction was to push back even more and start smoking weed - widened gap between conventional society and them
Found: became symbol of defiance against police + part of status - caused deviant subculture to develop - hippies internalised the label - became self-fulfilling prophecy
The British Household Panel Survey (BHPS):
Longitudinal study
Annual panel survey of individuals living in private households in the UK - began in 1991
Structured interviews - 10,000 individuals interviewed annually
All members of household aged 16+ - can give consent
Sample members followed as they move address and new members join sample when living in household with permanent members
Funded by the ESRC & Institution for Eduation
Primary quantitive data
The British Social Attitudes Survey:
Regular survey of British pop
Aims to find out views on contemporary issues e.g spending and borrowing, importance of family and friends
Sampling and methods:
Sample consisted of 3287 respondents
Sample chosen by stratified random sampling using Postcode Address File (lists all addresses held by Post Office)
Questionnaires used
Participants assured their personal data only ever used for research and statistical purposes - name and contact details are deleted after data is published - anonymity given
£10 gift vouchers is given to particpants
Amy Slater & Marika Tiggemann (2010) - Uncool to do sport:
Background:
Looking at the reasons teenage girls withdrew from formal physical education
Conducted at 2 co-ed high schools in Australia
6 focus groups with 49 girls aged 13-15
Focus groups used as it was felt that researchers' core interests couldn't be assessed with 1-1 interviews
Findings:
Reasons from dropping out of sport:
Losing interest
Lack of time
Crossing trad gender norms and being bullied for it
Team mates/coaches
Teasing based on appearance and image whilst playing sport