Social Research Methodology, lecture 1, 31-10-2022
Gerben’s beliefs:
o Methodology is related to philosophy of science, but not identical.
o The research question determines the superiority of a particular method
or research strategy.
o Students determine their own theoretical position on the basis of
substantiation.
o To know for sure must be doubted ferociously.
Concept abstract tern that describes a phenomenon.
Law regularity of facts (observations).
Postulate basic assumption in a theory.
Proposition explanatory relationship between concepts.
Types of use of theories (distinction by Merton):
o Grand theories: abstract, very large scope
o Middle range theories: useful for empirical research, limited scope
o Background literature: focussed search for theories, empirical research,
limited scope
o Fact collection: hardly any theory, ad-hoc selection (when needed or
when there was a particular purpose)
Induction (empirical theoretical): verification logic the form of reasoning,
in which from a limited number of observations a universal statement is made
about all cases.
Deduction (theoretical empirical): falsification logic the form of reasoning,
in which from general statements predictions about observations are made.
Verification logic (induction): A1, A2, A3, A4 and A5 have property P = all A
have property P.
Falsification logic (deduction): all A have property P, K is an A = K has
property P.
Inductive empirical cycle: observations before theory
Problem
Evaluation
Observation
Theory
Only after the observation you create a theory, mostly because you see it
occurs more often. Then you evaluate your theory. (Continuing cycle)
Induction problem: how many observations are needed to arrive at a valid
general statement?
, o Solution 1: use falsification logic, falsification is stronger than
verification.
o solution 2: use probability.
Deductive empirical cycle: theory before observations
Problem
Evaluation Theory
Test Hypothesis
Observation
In a deductive empirical cycle, the problem you start with is more theoretical.
In the theory we try to explain the problem. The hypothesis is a part of
the theory (a statement) that we can actually test. Only then we do
observations! We test the hypothesis in our observation. Evaluate if
there is falsification. (Continuing cycle)
Induction is not tabula rasa (wiped clean): ‘open mind’
Two main points of criticism:
1. A-priori assumptions and selections are necessary, because there are too
much data.
2. Observations are influenced by conscious or unconscious assumptions
about certain facts.
‘Complete’ empirical cycle:
, ‘Complete’ empirical cycle in real life pragmatic empirical cycle:
Gerben’s beliefs:
o Methodology is related to philosophy of science, but not identical.
o The research question determines the superiority of a particular method
or research strategy.
o Students determine their own theoretical position on the basis of
substantiation.
o To know for sure must be doubted ferociously.
Concept abstract tern that describes a phenomenon.
Law regularity of facts (observations).
Postulate basic assumption in a theory.
Proposition explanatory relationship between concepts.
Types of use of theories (distinction by Merton):
o Grand theories: abstract, very large scope
o Middle range theories: useful for empirical research, limited scope
o Background literature: focussed search for theories, empirical research,
limited scope
o Fact collection: hardly any theory, ad-hoc selection (when needed or
when there was a particular purpose)
Induction (empirical theoretical): verification logic the form of reasoning,
in which from a limited number of observations a universal statement is made
about all cases.
Deduction (theoretical empirical): falsification logic the form of reasoning,
in which from general statements predictions about observations are made.
Verification logic (induction): A1, A2, A3, A4 and A5 have property P = all A
have property P.
Falsification logic (deduction): all A have property P, K is an A = K has
property P.
Inductive empirical cycle: observations before theory
Problem
Evaluation
Observation
Theory
Only after the observation you create a theory, mostly because you see it
occurs more often. Then you evaluate your theory. (Continuing cycle)
Induction problem: how many observations are needed to arrive at a valid
general statement?
, o Solution 1: use falsification logic, falsification is stronger than
verification.
o solution 2: use probability.
Deductive empirical cycle: theory before observations
Problem
Evaluation Theory
Test Hypothesis
Observation
In a deductive empirical cycle, the problem you start with is more theoretical.
In the theory we try to explain the problem. The hypothesis is a part of
the theory (a statement) that we can actually test. Only then we do
observations! We test the hypothesis in our observation. Evaluate if
there is falsification. (Continuing cycle)
Induction is not tabula rasa (wiped clean): ‘open mind’
Two main points of criticism:
1. A-priori assumptions and selections are necessary, because there are too
much data.
2. Observations are influenced by conscious or unconscious assumptions
about certain facts.
‘Complete’ empirical cycle:
, ‘Complete’ empirical cycle in real life pragmatic empirical cycle:
