11th May, 2020 - chp 1,2,15 Chapter 1 · Informal observation - occurs when we make observations without any systemic process for observing or assessing the accuracy of what we observed o we can never really be sure . Selective observation - noticing only the pattern that you want to find at the time or when we assume that the only patterns we have experiences directly exist. · Overgeneralization - occurs when we assume that broad patterns exist even when our observations have been limited · Authority - a socially defined source of knowledge that might shape our beliefs about what is true and what is not true. · Research methods - an organized, logical way of learning and knowing about our social world. ONTOLOGY AND EPISTEMOLOGY · Ontology - A person's ontological perspective shapes her or his beliefs about the nature of reality, or what "is." ? refers to one's analytic philosophy of nature of reality o researcher's ontological position might shape the sorts of research questions he or she asks and how those questions are posed -> some believe that reality is in the eye of the beholder and that our job is to understand others view of reality -> others feel that while people differ in their perception of reality, there is only one true reality · Epistemology - A person's epistemological perspective shapes her or his beliefs about how we know what we know, and the best way(s) to uncover knowledge. o It deals with questions of how we know what is o Each method of data collection comes with its own set of epistemological assumptions about how to find things out SCIENCE, SOCIAL SCIENCE AND SOCIOLOGY . Science - its a particular way of knowing that attempts to systematically collect and categorize facts or truths o Conducting science is deliberate process o Scientists gather information about facts in a way that is organized and intentional and usually follows a set of predetermined steps
. Sociology - the scientific study of humans in groups ? study how individuals shape, are shaped by, and create and maintain their social groups ? sociologists study human beings in relation to one another SPECIFIC CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCES · sociologists aim to explain patterns in society · A pattern can exist among your cohort without your individual participation in it · EXAMPLE: a person's social class background has an impact on his or her educational attainment and achievement ? children from high-income families were far more likely than low-income children to go on to college . Sometimes the patterns that social scientists observe fit our commonly held beliefs about the way the world works ? we don't tend to take issue with the fact that patterns don't necessarily represent all people's experiences. But what happens when the patterns disrupt our assumptions? · EXAMPLE: When girls speak up in class, teachers are more likely to simply nod and move on o The pattern of teachers engaging in more complex interactions