Chapter 4: The Meanings of Methodology MAN-10 Research Methods Instructor Erlan Bakiev, Ph.D. Chapter 4: The Meanings of Methodology

Philosophical Foundations Ontology Epistemology

Methodology A system of broad principles or rules from which specific methods or procedures may be derived to interpret or solve different problems within the scope of a particular discipline. Unlike an algorithm, a methodology is not a formula but a set of practices.

Three Approaches Paradigm (similar to a methodology in that it is also a constructive framework( Positivist social science Interpretive social science Critical social science

10 Questions

Positivist Social Science 1) What is the purpose of social scientific research? Causal laws 2) What is the fundamental nature of social reality? Predict behavior 3) What is the basic nature of human beings? Mechanical model of man

Positivist Social Science 4) What is the view on human agency? Determinism 5) What is the relationship between science and common sense? Separate ways of knowing – scientific jargon 6) What constitutes an explanation or theory of social reality? Nomothetic Covering law model

Positivist Social Science 7) How does one determine whether an explanation is true or false? Replication and not logical contradictions 8) What does good evidence look like? Intersubjectivity - Set out to disprove science 9) What is the use of science? Instrumental orientation Technocratic perspective 10) Where do sociopolitical values enter science? Value free and objective

Positivist Social Science How would PSS approach the following sociological concepts? Family dynamics College entrance Federal interest rates Armed robbery College romance Primary elections Grocery store produce Corporate welfare

Interpretive Social Science 1) What is the purpose of social scientific research? Meaningful social action 2) What is the fundamental nature of social reality? Constructionist orientation 3) What is the basic nature of human beings? Creating flexible systems of meanings

Interpretive Social Science 4) What is the view on human agency? Voluntarism 5) What is the relationship between science and common sense? Natural attitude 6) What constitutes an explanation or theory of social reality? Idiographic Typification

Interpretive Social Science 7) How does one determine whether an explanation is true or false? Postulate of adequacy 8) What does good evidence look like? Bracketing 9) What is the use of science? Practical orientation Transcendent perspective 10) Where do sociopolitical values enter science? Relativism

Interpretive Social Science How would ISS approach the following sociological concepts? Family dynamics College entrance Federal interest rates Armed robbery College romance Primary elections Grocery store produce Corporate welfare

Critical Social Science 1) What is the purpose of social scientific research? Transform social conditions 2) What is the fundamental nature of social reality? Dialectic 3) What is the basic nature of human beings? Creative but  reification

Critical Social Science 4) What is the view on human agency? Bounded autonomy 5) What is the relationship between science and common sense? False-conciousness 6) What constitutes an explanation or theory of social reality? Abduction Explanatory critique

Critical Social Science 7) How does one determine whether an explanation is true or false? Praxis 8) What does good evidence look like? Facts are not value free 9) What is the use of science? Reflexive-dialectic orientation Transformative perspective 10) Where do sociopolitical values enter science? Activist orientation

Critical Social Science How would CSS approach the following sociological concepts? Family dynamics College entrance Federal interest rates Armed robbery College romance Primary elections Grocery store produce Corporate welfare

Feminist and Postmodern Research Feminist Research Postmodern Research

Common Features of All Approaches Empirical Systematic Theoretical Public Self-reflective Open-ended process