Social research entails the use of scientific approaches to uncover the working of a social phenomenon that characterizes society. As Neuman (2014) notes, scientific methods are the most common and relied upon approaches to social research. In this regard, social research utilizes collected data to quantify results and attain credible results. Alternative methods of social research do not pay apt attention to scientific approaches but can be used to achieve social research goals. Therefore, this paper addresses the various available alternative social research methodologies and their ability to uncover social phenomenon.
The first widely adopted non-scientific approach to the sociological phenomenon is the use of common sense (Neuman, 2014). In some scenarios, common sense can denote the long-held background experiences or norms that can be relied upon to give adequate evidence of the social phenomenon. One of the advantages of using personal experiences in social research is that they shape and dictate the norms and beliefs of a social setting. Thus, each action undertaken in the studied society will adhere to the information related to personal experiences. Personal experiences also eliminate several incidences of biases that can be evident in scientific research (Neuman, 2014). For example, personal experience can be a unique factor for every individual being studied in the populace. Therefore, each experience given eliminates the chances of overgeneralization of results obtained in social research. However, personal experiences are not an adequate indicator of why specific occurrences are imminent in society. Other undesirable elements of research that are eliminated include the halo effect and selective observation. In the long run, the data obtained will give a true representation of the social phenomenon studied.
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The results obtained from personal experiences or testing of common sense cannot provide quantifiable data that can be relied upon for a study. Individuals in society demonstrate different levels of perceptions, which form the point of inference for social researchers (Robson, 2011). The judgments people have determine their intrinsic behavior as they interact in society. Therefore, the research methodology cannot be used to establish a reliable trend on a social phenomenon. Nevertheless, not all practices in society can be explained through common sense or the experiences that people have throughout their lives. As evidenced by the author, people sometimes act out of intrinsic fears and desires that cannot be measured by the alternative methodology. The bottom line is that the sum of experiences can sometimes present unreliability in social research.
Secondly, alternative research on social phenomenon can be done using the knowledge obtained from experts or authorities in the social setting (Neuman, 2014. Indeed, each belief and knowledge in society is facilitated by individuals who have expertise in the social phenomenon or people with authority who tend to create a solid knowledge base for society. In this regard, most of the actions and practices evident in society are as a result of the expertise and knowledge passed down (Neuman, 2014). The use of expert knowledge to uncover social phenomenon can be filled with bias. For example, the media is required to have adequate credibility and authority to give reliable information to society. However, false consensus by the media can lead to misrepresentation of the phenomenon being measured (Neuman, 2014). Additionally, the experts and authorities that the society relies upon may lack adequate evidence to justify the truthfulness of the aspects being studied. Experts may also lack the capacity to properly scrutinize to gauge the correctness of explaining the functioning of different aspects of society. However, the method can demonstrate a desirable trend because most people do not embrace independent thinking in society.
The third alternative social research methodology that can be utilized is the reliance on popular messages passed by the media (Neuman, 2014). The society is expansive, and most individuals cannot rely on critical or logical thinking to explain occurrences around them. The lack of reliable scientific reasoning makes popular media the only source of information (Neuman, 2014. As a result, most practices in society are inclined towards the information deducted from popular culture. This approach is suitable for uncovering the trends in practices that are specific to a certain community. However, the methodology also presents drawbacks in the measurement of quantifiable evidence for explaining a social phenomenon. For example, the data obtained from the study will be a representation of the mass opinions that society embraces. Such views are bound to determine the perceptions that society has, thus misleading data may be obtained.
Lastly, ideological beliefs can be used as an alternative social research tool. The use of beliefs and practices employs an approach that utilizes the background of political or religious structures to uncover specific phenomenon in society. The beliefs shape the intrinsic behavior for society, hence giving an accurate representation of social phenomenon (Robson, 2011). Unlike other approaches, beliefs and ideologies are sustained in society for a long time. Despite the accuracy of the information and observations that can be realized using the research approach, several drawbacks exist. For instance, human livelihoods are dynamic, and the research tool can attain bias results in times of transition. Moreover, the method does not give any tools that can be used to quantify observed or recorded data. In a nutshell, the use of beliefs and ideologies does not provide the consistency needed to measure social phenomenon. In urban sociological settings, this alternative method can be challenging to deploy.
References
Neuman, W. L. (2014). Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches: Pearson New International Edition . Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.
Robson, C. (2011). Real world research: A resource for users of social research methods in applied settings. Chichester: Wiley.
