Exam 3
Sociology 3401 with T/brown at University of Houston - main campus
About this deck
By: Andrea Platt
Created: 2010-12-08
Size: 38 flashcards
Views: 22
Created: 2010-12-08
Size: 38 flashcards
Views: 22
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Indexes and Scales help...
With content validity
To study topics that have no clear single indicator
Commonalities between scales and indexes
1) Both ordinal measures of variables
2) Both composite measures of variables: measurements based on more than one data item
Index Construction example
Different types of political actions with more or less the same degree of political activism
Give respondents one point for each of the actions they've taken on the list
Scale Construction example
Different levels of political activism represented by different political actions taken
People who have taken the highest ones have probably taken the lowest ones too, so you set up an "ideal" pattern and put people in categories based on that
Differences between indexes and scales
Index: summarizes and rank orders several specific observations
Scale: composed of several items that have a logical or empirical structure among them
Benefit of scales
You can measure intensity
Assumption of scales
There is a pattern to social phenomenon
Bogardus Social Distance Scale
A measurement technique for determining the willingness of people to participate in social relations of varying degrees of closeness with other kinds of people
Questions increase in degree of closeness
Suggest a structure of intensity
Thurstone Scales
A type of composite measured constructed in accord with the weights assigned by "judges" to various indicators of some variables
Example: list of 100 indicators of prejudice, too many indicators so we rank them and keep those with most votes
Likert
Likert scaling: type of composite measure designed to improve the levels of measurement in social research thru the use of standardized response categories to determine the relative intensity of different items; strongly agree to strongly disagree
Semantic Differential
A questionnaire format in which the respondent is asked to rate something in terms of two, opposite adjectives
Example: enjoyable to unenjoyable
Ethics
Conforming to the standards of conduct of a given profession or group
Informed Consent
A norm in which subjects based their voluntary participation in research projects on a full understanding of the possible risk involved
Laud Humphreys
Trouble in the Tearoom
Studied homosexual activities in public restrooms in parks
Volunteered to be "watchqueen" and collected personal information about the participants
Two examples of unethical experiments
Milgram and Zimbardo
Patterns and themes in qualitative analysis (6)
Frequencies
Magnitudes
Structures
Processes
Causes
Consequences
Coding
Classifying or categorizing individual pieces of data, coupled with some kind of retrieval system
Open Coding
The initial classification and labeling of concepts in qualitative data analysis. The codes are suggested by the researcher's examination and questioning of the data
Naturalism
An approach to field research based on the assumption that an objective social reality exists and can be observed and reported accurately
Ethnography
A report on social life that focuses on detailed and accurate description rather than explanation
Grounded Theory Method
GTM: an inductive approach to research in which theories are generated solely from an examination of data rather than being derived deductively
Constant Comparative Method
A component of the GTM in which observations are compared with one another and with the evolving inductive theory
Extended Case Method
A technique in which case study observations are used to discover flaws in and to improve existing social theories
Strengths of Qualitative Field Research
In depth understanding of the natural world
Flexibility
Inexpensive
Weaknesses of Qualitative Field Research
Validity
Generalizability
Demand characteristics (change that occurs when people know they're being observed)
Loss of control
Univariate Analysis and examples
The analysis of a single variable, for purposes of description (examples: frequency distribution, averages, and measures of dispersion)
Bivariate Analysis
The analysis of two variables simultaneously, for the purpose of determining the empirical relationship between them
Multivariate Analysis
The analysis of the simultaneous relationships among several variables
4 Criteria for Index Items
Face validity
Unidimensionality (ex: items reflecting religiosity shouldn't be included in a study of political conservatism, even though the variables are related)
General vs. specific
Variance: make sure it actually applies to what you're studying
2 conflicting desires in index construction
Range of measurement in the index
An adequate number of cases at each point in the index
Methods of Index Validation
Item analysis: making sure each item makes an independent contribution, rather than duplicating another item
External validation: index should correlate with other indicators of the variable
Guttman scale
A type of composite measure used to summarize several discrete observations and to represent some more general variable
Example: different levels of support for abortion
Coefficient of reproducibility
The percentage of original responses that could be reproduced by knowing the scale scores used to summarize them
Typology
The classification (typically nominal) of observations in terms of their attributes on two or more variables. Liberal/urban, liberal/rural etc
Ethnographic fallacy
Overgeneralization and oversimplification of the patterns observed
Ethnomethodology
Focuses on the discovery of implicit, usually unspoken assumptions and agreements
Example: what do you mean, a flat tire?
Axial coding
A reanalysis of the results of open coding in Grounded Theory Method, aimed at identifying the important, general concepts
Selective coding
In Grounded Theory Method, this analysis builds on the results of open coding and axial coding to identify the central concept that organizes the other concepts that have been identified in a body of textual materials
About this deck
By: Andrea Platt
Created: 2010-12-08
Size: 38 flashcards
Views: 22
Created: 2010-12-08
Size: 38 flashcards
Views: 22
About StudyBlue
STUDYBLUE makes things that make you better at school.
Things like online flashcards with photos and audio.
Things like personalized quizzes and friendly reminders about when (and what) to study next.
Think of it as a digital backpack™: access to all of your study materials online and on your phone.
STUDYBLUE exists to make studying efficient and effective for every student, for free. Join us.
“I have been getting MUCH better grades on all my tests for school. Flash cards, notes, and quizzes are great on here. Thanks!”
Kathy
Kathy