The “sociological perspective” is the overall perception of human behaviour and how it is connected to the society as a whole. This perspective is an invitation to consider the connection that exists between how individual people behave and the societal structures in which the people exist. While we might consider society as simply being a natural occurrence, what we do not understand is the fact that it has a major effect on how we behave. The sociological perspective forms the foundation of sociology because it gives a better outlook on the influence that our social backgrounds have on our life chances, attitudes, and behaviour. It is important to understand that we are not just independent individuals; we are social beings who are deeply rooted in our society. Regardless of our many differences, we all share a number of aspects when it comes to our social backgrounds. For this reason, it is evident that the society is comprised of several patterns that might seem separate from a distance but a closer look shows major connections. Sociologists make use of a number of methods to study these patterns in the society, and the most common ones include Survey research, interviews, participant observation, and secondary/historical analysis.
Survey Research
A survey is a research method that is used to collect data from subjects who are required to respond to a number of questions regarding behaviours and opinions. These questions are usually in the form of a questionnaire. The standard format of a survey allows for the anonymity of the respondents, and this is one of the key factors that make it the most commonly incorporated positivity research methods. Everyone is always required to respond to a survey at one point or another. A great example of a large-scale survey that is used to collect sociological data is the Statistics Canada Census.
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Individuals, who fill out survey questions at a promotional event or in stores are usually required to respond to questions such as: “How did you get information about this event?” “Did you find the staff helpful?” or “What kind of improvements would you suggest for us?” Not all surveys fall into the category of a sociological research; others are marketing polls that are directed towards refining marketing goals and strategies. The results obtained from the latter kind of a survey do not get published in scholarly journals because they have no sociological significance.
Sociologists incorporate surveys in controlled conditions where they gather specific information from people. It is true that surveys do not capture the respondent’s social behaviour, they are great ways of discovering how the person is feeling or thinking based on their responses. Surveys are great tools for tracking opinions and attitudes, reported personal behaviours, factual information like educational levels, employment status, and income, and political preferences.
Interviews
An interview is an avenue of conducting a survey research but through a one-on-one conversation between the researcher and the respondent. Interviews are similar to a survey’s short-answer questions in that it also involves the researcher asking a series of questions. However, they are different in that the respondent is not restricted by predetermined choices, and they can respond as freely as they wish. Also, the back-and-forth conversation between the participants gives the interviewer the chance to seek clarification or ask additional questions where necessary. An interview is ideally meant to give the subject the freedom to answer even the complex questions because there is no right or wrong answer.
The subject might not even be in a position to give honest answers in some cases. A good example of such a scenario is asking the respondent a question like: “Do you think your parents’ divorce resulted in social stigma in your family?” The researcher is in a good position to benefit from having the trust of the respondent from listening without judgement and empathising with them. However, the researcher should be careful not to prompt or steer the respondent to give a specific answer, otherwise, this could result in unreliable responses.
Participant Observation
Participant observation is one of the most reliable research method, where the researcher joins a group and participates in their routine activities with the goal of observing how they operate. By so doing, the researcher is able to study the natural behaviour of his study group without using any intrusive of artificial research devices such as questionnaires or interviews. Participant observation is the best way for a researcher to get first-hand information regarding a certain behaviour, an institution, or a trend. A researcher could even go to an extent of posing as homeless people or working as a waitress at a diner. In whichever situation that they choose, the researcher makes an effort to blend in with the population under study as seamlessly as possible. However, they should be very careful not to disclose their true purpose or identity, otherwise, this would compromise the results.
Participant observation makes it possible for researchers to explore a given environment from the inside by simply observing and learning. That said, the researcher is expected to stay alert and open-minded so that he does not miss any important observation. The questions of the study get specific as patterns emerge, and the hypotheses will make it possible for the researcher to develop a hypothesis.
Secondary/Historical Analysis
While sociologists usually make use of original research studies, they can also make use of secondary and historical analysis to contribute to their knowledge. Just as the name suggests, secondary data is not the same as first-hand information obtained from primary sources but they are obtained from already completed research. Sociologists might get information from magazines, periodicals, or newspapers obtained from whichever period in history. Using the process of secondary analysis helps the researcher add depth to their study, and it also saves money and time. Another benefit of this research method is that the researcher combines as much information as possible from different sources and they are able to create a more concrete discussion on the topic. In this research method, sociologists incorporate the strategy of content analysis to study the prevalence of a given study. The fact that several people have already performed a study on the topic in question means that it will be easier to gather almost all the necessary information. However, this research method poses a challenge in that the data available might not always be in a usable form, which gives the sociologist more work in re-modelling the data.
References
1.3 Theoretical Perspectives in Sociology | Sociology: Understanding and Changing the Social World. (2018). Retrieved from http://open.lib.umn.edu/sociology/chapter/1-3-theoretical-perspectives-in-sociology/
Chapter 2. Sociological Research – Introduction to Sociology – 1st Canadian Edition. (2018). Retrieved from https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontosociology/chapter/chapter2-sociological-research/
