Sociology primarily studies ___ and ___ within society.

Social groupings and social relationships

What do sociologists aim to understand about individuals in social contexts?

Sociologists aim to understand the beliefs and attitudes of individuals as well as their observable behaviors in various social activities.

True or False: Sociology only focuses on large organizations and ignores individual behaviors.

False: Sociology studies both individual behaviors and large organizations.

Sociological research provides data that can be used as ___ to support claims.

Evidence

Fill in the blank: Sociology helps us understand problems affecting us as individuals and as members of larger ___.

Organizations

What are the challenges sociologists face in achieving objectivity in their research?

Sociologists face challenges in achieving objectivity due to their personal biases and emotions, as they are part of the society they study. Their perspectives may be influenced by prevailing attitudes towards the social groups they examine.

True or False: Subjectivity in sociology allows for a purely scientific approach to research.

False. Subjectivity introduces personal beliefs and biases, which can hinder the scientific objectivity required in sociological research.

In the context of sociology, the term 'subjective' refers to ___ and ___ biases.

Personal beliefs and inclinations

What is one primary concern regarding partiality in sociological studies?

Sociologists may be influenced by their own social preferences and aversions, especially when studying groups different from their own.

Fill in the blank: To achieve objectivity, sociologists must set aside their ___ and ___ about a matter.

Emotions and opinions

B) Sociology must strive for objectivity while acknowledging inherent biases.

What is self-reflexivity in sociological research?

Self-reflexivity involves adopting an outsider's viewpoint and considering the research through the perspective of others. It requires the researcher to critically examine their own ideas and emotions related to the research topic.

True or False: Subjectivity in sociological research should be ignored as it can lead to bias.

False. Subjectivity should not be ignored; instead, sociologists should utilize it to decipher meanings that can provide solutions to research inquiries.

Sociologists protect themselves from unconscious bias by ___ their own social history.

Disclosing

Identify one way sociologists can address the potential for bias in their research.

By openly disclosing relevant aspects of their own social history that may influence their opinions on the topic being investigated.

Fill in the blank: Subjectivity pertains to the cognitive content that originates from the ___ subject.

Thinking

What are the primary focuses of quantitative research in sociology?

Quantitative research focuses on variables that can be enumerated or measured.

Qualitative research methods include ___, ___, and content analysis.

Interviews, observations

True or False: Qualitative research is primarily concerned with variables that can be easily quantified.

False. Qualitative research centers on more elusive variables that are harder to quantify, such as attitudes and emotions.

What is a key difference between quantitative and qualitative research methodologies?

Quantitative research deals with measurable variables, while qualitative research focuses on understanding complex, non-measurable variables.

Debating the superiority of various sociological methods is considered ___ because of the existence of multiple truths.

Futile

What is the primary focus of primary research?

The primary focus of primary research is to produce fresh or 'primary' data.

Primary research often includes which type of data collection?

Interviews are a key source of primary data in primary research.

Secondary research relies on ___ data that has already been gathered.

Pre-existing or 'secondary' data.

True or False: Historical methods typically use only primary data collected in the field.

False. Historical methods frequently incorporate secondary material collected in archives.