What are the 3 povs on sociology and value freedom?
- Sociology should be and can be value freedom 2. Sociology cannot be value free .3. Sociology should not be value free even if it were possible
Who would support the idea that there should be and can be a value free society?
Comte and Durkheim. They believe that objectivity is posissible and they tried to establish the subject as a science so sociology can be used to influence social policy and improve the world.
Why can it be said that value freedom is a myth?
Sociological assumptions are value laden. Positivists believe that society exists as an objective reality, social structures mould and constrain individual behaviour while interpretivists believe society is constructed by the actions of individuals. These different assumptions guide what is selected as a worthwhile topic or problem, what questions to ask, what data to collect and etc. All of these are subjective to value judgments so all values are unavoidable.
What two sociologists argue that even if a value free society was possible it would not be disirable?
Gouldner and Becker.
What did Gouldner argue?
Attempting to be a value free society only serves the career interests of sociologists who take funding from the highest bidder and avoid taking moral responsibility for the uses and consequences of their research. Pretending ro be value free and not taking sides supports the rich and powerful in an unequal society. Sociologists should make value judgments especially when they find injustice as they have a responsibility to improve the life’s of the most exploited in society and take sides against powerful sources of oppression.
What does Beckers argue?
He comes up with the idea of whose side are we on? He says that all sociology is influenced by values, by not choosing to take a side the sociologists are favouring the powerful against the less powerful as it is research that will inevitably reduce inequality in society. For example he says that traditional sociologists especially positivists and functionalist tend to take the view point of the powerful, police the state etc. Instead of seeing things from the perspective of the over dog sociologists should see it from the underwood whilst allowing us to reveal a previously hidden social reality
What are 6 factors which can effect the values of research?
- Funding body 2. Academic training 3. Sociologists career trajectory 4. Theoretical perspectives 5. Personal beliefs and interests 6. Political views
Why is Beckers approach sometimes critised?
People argue that he is taking a romantic and sentimental approach to disadvantaged groups.
What is the approach that argues it is impossible to detach our values from research?
Relativism
Who often adopts the relativist approach?
Post modernist writers
What are the 3 main arguments or relativism?
- Different groups, cultures and individuals including sociologists have different views of the world and what is true everyone sees the world in relation to these 2. There is no independent way of judging whether any view is truer then the other 3. Relativism argues that there is no absolute or objective truth, just truths you believe what is true for u
How did Weber explain his view that values play a considerable part in the research process? (3 ways.)
- Values can’t and shouldn’t be avoided when choosing the topic to research but Values and personal prejudices should never be allowed to enter the research process itself or allowed to distort or manipulate data collection 2. Values and personal prejudices should be considered when examining the ethics of research. Ethical issues rest on the moral Values of the researcher sociologists have to take responsibility for avoiding harm 3. Findings should be open for inspection testing criticism and debate by other researchers so researchers must be open and clear about their own values so any distortion or manipulation can be tested by others
What example can be used to support Kaplans idea that science can be influenced by bias?
In alzheimers research a influential finding was based on fake brain images, other scientists failed to notice this an as a result 2000 studies were found to be invalid.
