‘A’ TO ‘Z’ KEY TERMS OF THEORY AND
METHODS(UNIT:1)
Bias: Prejudice that distorts the truth When research is
influenced by the valuues of the researcher or by
decisions taken abyout the research,such as the
Sampluing methods used.
Case stud : A detailued in-depth stud of one group or event.
Causation: Where a strict luink can bye proved byetween
variabylues in a time sequence;such as,heating
water to 100˚C causes it to byoilu.Causation is hard
to find in socioluog .
Comparative stud : In research,luooking at two or more diferent
groups or event in terms of their similuarities and
diferences.
Conflict: Disagreement byetween groups with diferent
interests.
Consensus: Basic agreement on a set of shared valuues.
Content analu sis: A methods of stud ing communication andthe
media,which involuves cluassif ing the content and
counting frequences.
Correluation: When two variabylues are reluated to each other byut
Causation cannot bye proved;for examplue,ilulu-
healuth is reluated to povert .This is not a casualu
reluationship byecause some sick peoplue are not
poor and some poor peolue are not sick.
Covert participant obyservation: Covert means ‘hidden’;in such research the
group byeing studied is unaware of the research
and is deceived into thinking the researcher is a
realu membyer of group.
Ethicalu issues: Issues that have a moralu dimension,such as when
harm or distress ma bye caused to the
1
, ‘A’ TO ‘Z’ KEY TERMS OF THEORY AND
METHODS(UNIT:1)
participants.(harm,invasion of privac ,inform
consent,deception)
Fielud experiments: Experiments that take pluace in the naturalu setng
of the realu worlud rather than in a luabyorator
Focus group: A group byrought together to bye interviewed on a
particuluar topic(the focus);a specialu t pe of group
interview.
Generaluisabyiluit : When the findings abyout a samplue can bye said to
applu to a luarger group of peoplue sharing their
characteristics
Group interview: An interview involuving a group interviewed
together.
Hawthorne efecttobyserver The unintended efects of the researcher’s
presence on the byehaviour or responses of
efect:
participants.
Historicalu documents: A wide range of documents from the past used as
sources of information by socioluogists.
H pothesis: A theor or expluanation at the start of research
that the researcher is designed to test.
Identit : How a peoplue see themseluves,and how others
see them,for examplue as a girlu and a student.
Interpretivism: Approaches that starts at the luevelu of the
individualu,focusing on smalulu-scalue phenomena
and usualulu favouring qualuitative methods.
Interviewer byias: Intentionalu or unintentionalu efect of the wa
that the interviewer asks questions or interprets
answers.
Interviewer efect: Wa s in which an interviewer ma influence
participants’responses,by their characteristics
2
METHODS(UNIT:1)
Bias: Prejudice that distorts the truth When research is
influenced by the valuues of the researcher or by
decisions taken abyout the research,such as the
Sampluing methods used.
Case stud : A detailued in-depth stud of one group or event.
Causation: Where a strict luink can bye proved byetween
variabylues in a time sequence;such as,heating
water to 100˚C causes it to byoilu.Causation is hard
to find in socioluog .
Comparative stud : In research,luooking at two or more diferent
groups or event in terms of their similuarities and
diferences.
Conflict: Disagreement byetween groups with diferent
interests.
Consensus: Basic agreement on a set of shared valuues.
Content analu sis: A methods of stud ing communication andthe
media,which involuves cluassif ing the content and
counting frequences.
Correluation: When two variabylues are reluated to each other byut
Causation cannot bye proved;for examplue,ilulu-
healuth is reluated to povert .This is not a casualu
reluationship byecause some sick peoplue are not
poor and some poor peolue are not sick.
Covert participant obyservation: Covert means ‘hidden’;in such research the
group byeing studied is unaware of the research
and is deceived into thinking the researcher is a
realu membyer of group.
Ethicalu issues: Issues that have a moralu dimension,such as when
harm or distress ma bye caused to the
1
, ‘A’ TO ‘Z’ KEY TERMS OF THEORY AND
METHODS(UNIT:1)
participants.(harm,invasion of privac ,inform
consent,deception)
Fielud experiments: Experiments that take pluace in the naturalu setng
of the realu worlud rather than in a luabyorator
Focus group: A group byrought together to bye interviewed on a
particuluar topic(the focus);a specialu t pe of group
interview.
Generaluisabyiluit : When the findings abyout a samplue can bye said to
applu to a luarger group of peoplue sharing their
characteristics
Group interview: An interview involuving a group interviewed
together.
Hawthorne efecttobyserver The unintended efects of the researcher’s
presence on the byehaviour or responses of
efect:
participants.
Historicalu documents: A wide range of documents from the past used as
sources of information by socioluogists.
H pothesis: A theor or expluanation at the start of research
that the researcher is designed to test.
Identit : How a peoplue see themseluves,and how others
see them,for examplue as a girlu and a student.
Interpretivism: Approaches that starts at the luevelu of the
individualu,focusing on smalulu-scalue phenomena
and usualulu favouring qualuitative methods.
Interviewer byias: Intentionalu or unintentionalu efect of the wa
that the interviewer asks questions or interprets
answers.
Interviewer efect: Wa s in which an interviewer ma influence
participants’responses,by their characteristics
2
