Important Questions: Doing Sociology: Research Methods | Sociology Class 11 - Humanities/Arts PDF Download

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1: What is sociology primarily concerned with?
Ans: Sociology is primarily concerned with the study of people's lives and their social interactions, including their beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors.

Q2: What is the main challenge for sociologists in achieving objectivity?
Ans: The main challenge for sociologists in achieving objectivity is overcoming their own personal biases and emotions related to the research topic.

Q3: What is self-reflexivity in sociology?
Ans: Self-reflexivity in sociology involves adopting an outsider's viewpoint and considering the research through the perspective of others to minimize bias.

Q4: What does qualitative research in sociology focus on?
Ans: Qualitative research in sociology focuses on attitudes, opinions, emotions, and other non-measurable variables.

Q5: What is the primary tool for data collection in surveys?
Ans: The primary tool for data collection in surveys is questionnaires.

Q6: What is the advantage of interviews in sociological research?
Ans: Interviews offer a high degree of adaptability in format, allowing questions to be reformulated and subjects to be added or removed as needed.

Q7: What can make respondents uneasy during interviews?
Ans: The use of recorders during interviews can make respondents uneasy and formalize the conversation.

Q8: How can in-depth interviews enhance sociological research?
Ans: In-depth interviews can provide context and clarification for other research methods and enhance the findings of surveys.

Q9: What is one disadvantage of conducting interviews in sociological research?
Ans: Conducting interviews can be time-consuming, which may pose challenges for students or researchers with deadlines.

Q10: How can the interviewer's biases affect interview data?
Ans: The interviewer's personal beliefs, attitudes, and biases can unintentionally influence the responses of the interviewee, leading to unreliable data.

Short Answer Type Questions

Q11: Explain the concept of objectivity in sociology and the challenges sociologists face in achieving it.
Ans: Objectivity in sociology refers to the impartial and unbiased approach that researchers strive for when studying social phenomena. It involves setting aside personal emotions and opinions to view the subject matter objectively. However, achieving objectivity in sociology is challenging due to several factors:

• Bias: Sociologists are part of society and can be influenced by prevailing attitudes and beliefs in their social environment, potentially leading to bias in their research.
• Unconscious Bias: Even with self-reflexivity, unconscious bias can persist, affecting the researcher's perspective.

To address these challenges, sociologists engage in rigorous self-questioning and openly disclose any relevant aspects of their social history that might influence their research. They also adopt the perspectives of those under examination and maintain detailed records of their research procedures. These measures help mitigate bias and enhance objectivity.

Q12: Compare and contrast quantitative and qualitative research methods in sociology.
Ans: Quantitative and qualitative research are two primary research methods in sociology, each with distinct characteristics:

Quantitative Research:

• Focus: Quantitative research focuses on measurable variables, such as numerical data.
• Methods: It employs surveys, experiments, and statistical analysis.
• Data Collection: Data is collected through structured questionnaires or experiments.
• Objective: It aims for objectivity and generalizability.
• Strengths: Provides statistical data, allows for generalization, and is suitable for large-scale studies.
• Weaknesses: May lack depth, may not capture nuances, and can be less flexible in exploring complex issues.

Qualitative Research:

• Focus: Qualitative research explores non-measurable variables like attitudes, opinions, and emotions.
• Methods: It includes interviews, observations, and content analysis.
• Data Collection: Data is collected through open-ended questions, observations, or the analysis of text and images.
• Objective: It seeks to understand the depth and complexity of human experiences.
• Strengths: Offers in-depth insights, captures nuances, and explores complex social phenomena.
• Weaknesses: Findings may not be easily generalizable, and analysis can be time-consuming.

In summary, quantitative research is suited for obtaining numerical data and generalizing findings to a larger population, while qualitative research delves into the depth and complexity of human experiences but may not provide statistically generalizable results.

Q13: Explain the concept of a survey in sociological research, including its purpose and advantages.
Ans: A survey in sociological research is a method used to gather information from a carefully chosen representative sample of people. It serves several purposes and offers distinct advantages:

Purpose:

• Broad Perspective: Surveys aim to provide a broad perspective on a specific subject by collecting data from a diverse group of respondents.
• Data Collection: They gather information about people's views, beliefs, and behaviors on various topics.
• Generalization: Surveys allow researchers to generalize their findings to a larger population while studying only a small proportion of that population.

Advantages:

• Efficiency: Surveys require a manageable investment of time, effort, and resources compared to other research methods.
• Structured Data: Standardized questionnaires ensure consistency in data collection, making analysis more straightforward.
• Generalizability: Findings can be applied to a broader population.
• Quantitative: Surveys yield quantitative data, making it suitable for statistical analysis.
• Large-Scale Studies: Surveys are ideal for large-scale studies involving numerous participants.

Overall, surveys are a valuable tool in sociological research for efficiently gathering structured data from a diverse group of respondents, enabling researchers to draw conclusions about broader populations.