Theorectical Perspective And Methods Of Social Reserach Vocab

Front 1

Theory

Back 1

A framework that can be used to comprehend and explain events

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Sociological Theory

Back 2

a set of principles and definitions that tell how societies operate and how people relate to one another and respond to their surroundings

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Research

Back 3

A fact gathering and Fact explaining enterprise governed by strict rules

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Research Methods

Back 4

techniques that sociologists and other investigators use to formulate meaningful research questions and to collect, analyze, and interpret data or observations in ways that allow other researchers to verify results

Front 5

Function

Back 5

the contribution of a part to the order and stability within the larger system

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Manifest functions

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A parts intended or anticipated effects in order and stability

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Latent Functions

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Unintended or unanticipated effects on order and stability

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Dysfunctions

Back 8

Disruptive consequences to society or to some segment in society

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Latent Dysfunctions

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Unintended unanticipated disruptions to order and stability

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Social Interaction

Back 10

Everyday events in which two people communicate interpret and respond to each other’s words and actions

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Symbol

Back 11

any kind of physical phenomenon to which people assign a name meaning or value

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Scientific method

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An approach to data collection in which knowledge is gained through observation and its truth confirmed through verification

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Objectivity

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A state in which the researcher’s personal subjective views do not influence the outcomes of the researchers

Front 14

Concepts

Back 14

Thinking and Communication tools that are used to give and receive complex information efficiently and to frame and explain observations

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Research design

Back 15

a plan for gathering data the specifies who and what will be studied and the method of data collection

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Methods of data collection

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The procedures a researcher follows to gather relevant data.

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Traces

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Materials or other forms of physical evidence that yield information about human activity

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Documents

Back 18

Written or printed materials used in research

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Territories

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Settings that have borders or that are set aside for particular activities.

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Households

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All related and unrelated persons who share the same dwelling

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Small groups

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Two to about 20 people who interact with one another in meaningful ways

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Populations

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The total number of individuals, traces, documents, territories, households, or groups that could be studied

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Sample

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a portion of the cases from a larger population

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Random Sample

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A type of sample in which every case in the population has an equal chance of being selected

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Representative Sample

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A type of sample in which those selected for study have the same distribution of characteristics as the population chosen for the study

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Sampling Frame

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a complete list of every case in the population

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Self-administered Questionnaire

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A set of questions given to responders who read the instructions and fill in the answers themselves

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Interviews

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Face-to-face or telephone conversations between an interviewer and a respondent in which the interviewer asks questions and records the respondent’s answers

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Structured Interview

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An interview in which the wording and sequence of questions are set in advance and cannot be changed during the interview

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Unstructured Interview

Back 30

An interview in which the question-answer sequence is spontaneous, open-ended, and flexible

Front 31

Observation

Back 31

a research technique in which the researcher watches, listen to, and records behavior and conversation as they happen

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Nonparticipant observation

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A research technique involving detached watching and listening in which the researcher does not interact with the study participants.

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Participant observation

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A research technique in which researchers interact directly with study participation

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Secondary Sources (archival data)

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Data that have been collected by other researchers for some other purpose

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Variable

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Any trait or characteristics that can change under different conditions or that consists of more than one category

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Dependent variable

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The variable to be explained or predicted

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Independent variable

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the variable that explains or predicts the dependent variable

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Hypothesis

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A trial explanation put forward as the focus of research that predicts how independent and dependent variables are related and how the dependent variable will change when there is a change in the independent variable

Front 39

Operational definitions

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Clear, precise definitions and instructions about how to observe and measure concepts and variables

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Reliability

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the extent to which the operational definitions gives consistent results

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Validity

Back 41

The degree to which an operational definition measures what it claims to measure

Front 42

Ascribed Characteristics

Back 42

any physical trait that is biological in origin and/or cannot be changed but to which people assign overwhelming significance

Front 43

Manifest Dysfunctions

Back 43

A parts anticipated disruptions to order and stability

Front 44

Generalizability

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the extent to which findings can be applied to the larger population from which the sample is drawn

Front 45

Correlation coefficient

Back 45

a mathematical representation that quantifies the extent to which a change in one variable is associated with a change in another variable

Front 46

Spurious Correlation

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A correlation that is coincidental or accidental because some third variable is related to both the independent and dependent variables

Front 47

Control variables

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Variables suspected of causing a spurious correlation

Front 48

Ascribed Characteristics

Back 48

any physical trait that is biological in origin and/or cannot be changed but to which people assign overwhelming significance