SOCIOLOGY

Companionship
Study

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• Sociology is the study of society
• Society is a group of people living together
• Interaction of the group results in a common way
of life/shared way of life (Culture)
• Social contract of the members with one another,
Social values, norms, folkways, customs,
traditions etc. govern the daily life.
• Differentiates it from Community (people living
in a geographical area), State (Change in the
nature of contract, laws govern the daily life.
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 SOCIOLGY

• A discussion or dialogue of the structure of the

social relationships as constituted by social
interaction
• A systematic study of social interaction in society
• The scientific study of human social life
• The study of interaction of a human group and its
various products (Material and Non material),
emerging as a result of this interaction.
 SIGNIFICANCE OF SOCIOLOGY

• To bring society of the domain of common

sense
• Society – An objective reality
• An influence on people’s attitudes and
behaviours
• Cultural transmission
• How societies are established and change
• Pure and applied sociology
 A BRIEF HISTORY

• Times of Aristotle, Plato and Ibn-i-Khaldun

• Interested in ideal, utopian societies
• Imagination of ideal society
• Industrial revolution
• Society was transforming from agri to Industrial society
• Disorganized society, Complete Disarray
• Comte (1798-1857) came for rescue
• Society must be studied in a scientific manner, free from
thinker’s biases and prejudices.
• More appropriately in a scientific manner based upon data and
its analysis
 Is Sociology a Common Sense

• Common sense is based upon

– Myths
– Intuition
– Causal Observation
– Beliefs
– Folklores
 SOCIOLOGYAS A SCIENCE
IS SCIENCE A SUBJECT:

NO

SCIENTIFIC METHODOLOGY:

Systematic, Organized series of steps that ensure maximum

objectivity and consistency in researching a problem

An objective systematic set of knowledge that can be verified

or falsified by a shared set of standards and procedures

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 CHARACTERISTICS OF SCIENCE

• SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE IS
I ACCURATE:
Truth or correctness, Avoid Jumping and no fantasies are
involved
II PRECISE:
Degree or measurement, No colourful literature
III SYSTEMATIC:
Follows a methodology, not based upon
conversation and simple observation
IV Scientific Knowledge is recorded
V OBJECTIVITY
No Bias, No prejudice,
No Stereotyping
VI Made by TRAINED OBSERVORS
VII CONTROLLED CONDITIONS
 COMPARING SOCIOLOGYWITH SCIENCE

Accurate

Precise

Systematic

Recorded

Objectivity

Trained observers

Transmissible and explanatory

Based upon research for empirical evidence

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 CONCLUSION
• Science is not a subject it’s a methodology
• Science is classified into many types like; exact
sciences, physical sciences, chemical sciences,
biological sciences, social sciences etc.
• Experiments are not science they are there to collect data
in order to bring objectivity
• Sociology follows the same methodology, but there is
more variation in the results because subject matter is
individuals. There is a lot of variation in individuals.
• Therefore we may label sociology as a social science.

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 Scientific Methodology
Define Problem (Heart Attack, Learning Process, Population)
Review Literature (Blood P., Smoking, Cholesterol, Stress, Genetics)
(Temperature, Light, Interaction, Noise, Fasting)
(Literacy, Women Edu., Religion,)
Formulate Hypothesis (Smoking leads to Heart Attacks, Noise decreases the
learning process, Higher the women’s education lesser is the Birth rate)
Research Design (How to collect data, method of data
collection)
Collect Data

Analysis

Conclusion

Replication
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 RESEARCH DESIGN
• A process for data collection

• A detailed method or plan for obtaining data

scientifically
 OBJECTIVE OF RESEARCH
DATA COLLECTION

PRIMARY DATA
SECONDARY DATA
Collected by the researcher
Collected by some other
Reliable researcher
Research specific Not research specific
Time consuming and cost is Time and Cost saving
involved
 PURPOSE OF RESEARCH DESIGN

• To test the hypothesis

• To establish a relationship between two
variables
• To eliminate alternate explainations

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 OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH
DATA COLLECTION

PRIMARY DATA

Collected by the researcher, more reliable. More

specific, time consuming and cost may be high

SECONDARY DATA

Used by the researcher, may not be reliable, time

and cost saving

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 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
TWO TYPES OF RESEARCH:

CROSS SECTIONAL RESEARCH

Collection of data at a single point of time
All variables are introduced and measured at the same
time
Survey research

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LONGITUDNAL RESEARCH
• Measurement of dependent variable over an
extended period of time
• Research which covers a span of time, may
be retrospective, may be prospective
• Control groups and experimental group
• Also known as time series designs

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 RESEARCH DESIGNS

• Experimental designs

• Non Experimental designs

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 TYPES OF EXPERIMENTS

Lab Experiments – Experiments conducted

under controlled conditions

Field Experiments – Experiments designed in

natural settings

Control Group:
• The group of objects or persons, which is not subjected to
the experimental treatment

Experimental Group:
• The group of objects or persons, which is subject to the
experimental treatment, test stimulus or test factor

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 EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES
– An artificially created situation which enables the
researcher to manipulate variables to verify a
hypothesis
– A research method for investigating cause and
effect under highly controlled condition
• Allows the researcher to control the exposure
to an experimental variable
• Assignment of subjects to different groups
• Observation or response of behaviour
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 DEFINATIONS

HYPOTHESIS:
• A statement of possible relationship between two variables

VARIABLE:
• A concept whose value changes from case to case

DEPENDENT VARIABLE:
• That which is of primary interest to the researcher; that which is to be understood.

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE, TEST FACTOR OR TEST STIMULUS:

• Introduced and controlled by an investigator in order to assess its effects or response on
dependent variable

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• CAUSE AND EFFECT RELATIONSHIP:

– A relationship in which a change in one variable

causes a change in another variable

– CORRELATIONAL RESEARCH

• Positive Correlation

• Negative correlation

• Non Existent Correlation

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• Validity
– An experiment is valid if:

• the observed change in the dependent

variable is, in fact, due to the independent
variable >> internal validity

• if the results of the experiment apply to

the “real world” outside the experimental
setting >> external validity.
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 NON EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS
• SURVEYS
– INTERVIEWS
Direct contact between researcher and interviewee
– Advantages
• Direct interaction, Clarity, Better quality and quantity of
data, Higher response rate, Identifying respondents,
Unstructured
• Disadvantages
– High cost, Longer time, Interviewer bias, Anonymity not
maintained, Interviewee cheating, Eager to face Camera,
Camera shy, Female Population

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• QUESTIONAIRRES
Close ended and open ended ques.
• Advantages
Wide geographical coverage, Providing thoughtful
answers, Ability to ask sensitive questions, Inexpensive,
Better control, results can achieved through computer
soft wares, Anonymity

• Disadvantages
Mailing list problem, Unidentifiable respondent, No
interviewer assistance, Assumed literacy, Poor response
rate, Longer time

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 OBSERVATIONAL STUDIES
1. Participant Observation
2. Detached studies/Non Obtrusive Research

• ADVANTAGES
– Primary data, Reliable, Specific

• DISADVANTAGES:
– Bias and Prejudice, Hawthrone Effect

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 CASE STUDIES
• Examination of a case or few cases in detail
• Several data collection methods like surveys, document
analysis, observation
• Used for exploratory, descriptive or explanatory purposes
• More useful in testing theories rather than establishing
theories
• DISADVANTAGES:
o Specified, focal approach
o Cannot be applied in general manner

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 SIMULATION STUDIES

• A representation of system by a device in

order to study its behavior over time
• Unit of analysis are not individuals
• Fundamental interest lie in a process or
structure such as large organization, legislative
body or party system
• To study the collective behavior is the major
interest

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 STATISTICAL RESEARCH
• ADVANTAGES:
o Data easy to collect
o Time saving
o Less cost
• DISADVANTAGES:
o Secondary Data
o Complex formulas
o Sometimes data is not accurate
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 ETHICS OF RESEARCH
Maintain objectivity
and integrity in
research
Subject’s right to
privacy

Protect Subject from

personal harm

Preserve confidentiality

Acknowledge Research
Collaboration

Disclose all sources of

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