WEEK 2. Sociological methods

1. Summary

Sociologists use observations, hypothesis reasoning and inductive methods to understand and ultimately develop descriptions of social phenomena in the form of theories. The scientific method is carried out through four stages of iteration-specificization, hypothesis, prediction, test-and recursion. On the other hand, in scientific methods we should also look at correlation and causality. Correlations represent relationships between two or more variables that change together. A causal relationship represents the relationship between two or more variables that one variable causes another. There is a quantitative approach, a qualitative approach to sociological research. The benefits can only be seen when these two approaches are combined. There are also three points of view in sociological research. There is an objective view, a critical view, and a subjective view. Ethics is especially important because the subject of sociological research is mostly people. The most important ethical consideration is that it does not harm participants in sociological research.


2. Interesting point

It was interesting that subjective perspectives were also used in research. The study came as a fresh shock because it thought that it should be objective at all the time. But just as some sociologists have expressed that "individual is political," the objective can sometimes be seen as subjective because all individuals influence political factors. Everyone lives with values, beliefs, and prejudices and it has a lot of influence on society. That's why we should not always think what we know is right, but constantly suspect and find out what's truly right.


3. Discussion

People take a defensive posture regardless of the facts when what they know, or what they have believed, is denied. Feminism, where critical views are applied, is much disputed and hated in Korea. Why is feminism so starkly revealing to people's differences? As I said earlier, is it the result of an instinctive defense posture? I want to talk about whether there is no subject of sociological without controversy.

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