The experiment is a mode of scientific observation which involves:
- taking action
- observing the consequences of that action
Calhoun
in 1962 conducted a fascinating experiment on the relationship between population density and deviant behaviour
he observed the behaviour of 80 rats placed into a cage containing four connected cells
Calhoun: Observed
two males guarded the outer cells + maintain harems
Calhoun: Deviant Behaviour
the two central cells, largely containing males, were the locus of all kinds of deviant behaviour:
- exessive aggression; cannabilism, infanticide, assault, and sexual assault
- excessive passivity; asexuality, apathy, careless mothering, “zombie-like behaviour”
Calhoun’s Conclusion
population density generates deviance (cities clearly create crime and deviance)
CUCRs
- canadian Uniform Crime Reports
- “dark figures”
- about 2.5 million crimes reported to police per year
The Crime Funnel
a model illustrating the high volume of crime committed compared to the small number of cases that result in conviction or incarceration
Dark figures
a large portion of crimes are never reported to the police or are unknown to them
Surveys
involves asking a sample of a population a set of questions
Cross-sectional study
analyze data from a population at a single, specific point in time to provide a snapshot of correlations
Longitudual study
track the same subjects repeatedly over an extended period (months to decades) to establish sequences of events, trends, and causal relationships
Victimization surveys
ask people if they had been victimized, and how they were victimized
- GSS
- VAWS
GSS
General Social Survey
VAWS
Violence Against Women Survey
Self report surveys
asks people wether they have engaged in crime and deviance
- NLSCY
- NPHS
NLSCY
National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth
NPHS
National Population Health Survey (Canada)
Personal Interviews
- interview people directly
- structured, semi-structured
Qualitative
inductive strategies are helpful in generating theories
Quantitative
deductive methods are to verify existing knowledge
Content analysis
a research method that systematically examines texts or media to identify patterns, themes, or meanings
