Hanukkah begins at sunset tonight SOCI 1010 Day 5 December 15, 2011 Hanukkah begins at sunset tonight

Agenda Finish Research Methods Film clip KT Go on to Types of Societies

Attendance for 12/20/11 People who use Weight Watchers as a diet program lose 50% more weight than those who subscribe to other diet plans. Independent Variable? Dependent Variable?

Research Methods Continued

Review of Methods So Far Past-oriented – historical (“what was?”) Present-oriented – descriptive (“what is the status of …?”) Observation Survey Next field research future-oriented research

Field Research Case study Ethnography in-depth look at one individual or group Ethnography cross-cultural studies (anthropology) If you viewed the tape The Gods Must be Crazy for Lesson 1, you saw the comparison of a hunting and gathering society (!Kung) with an industrialized culture. Although a feature film designed for entertaining, The Gods Must be Crazy presents a simple ethnographic case study of the Kalihari Bushmen (!Kung). Although many case studies are very clinical and uninteresting from a layman’s point of view, there have been a number sensationalized case studies. Other well publicized examples of field research include books/movies like Helter Skelter, a study of Charles Manson and his “family” of followers or Sybil, an in-depth look at a woman with multiple personality syndrome. Anthropologists use a cross-cultural approach similar to the case study called ethnography.

Types of Designs: Experimental Research Future-Oriented Studies What will be if … ? Experimental research manipulating an independent variable The third time frame according to which studies can be organized is the future. The essential question is “What will be if…the researcher manipulates certain variables?” This future orientation applies to the classic experimental design.

Classical Experimental Design Pre-test Post-test Dependent variable Control Group Experimental or Treatment Group As the researcher sets up the study, he/she premeasures the dependent variable, randomly divides the sample into two groups (a control group and and experimental group); and administers some degree of the independent variable to the experimental group only. If the independent variable has a causal influence on the dependent variable, it will be noticeably changed and different from the dependent variable measurement for the control group. Independent Variable

Collect and Analyze Data Employ the research design Organize and analyze the data Statistical analysis Make decisions relevant to the hypothesis “Support” or “accept” or “fail to accept” -- never “prove” The final steps in the research process are to carry out the design as planned and collect the data. Once collected, it must be organized and analyzed using statistical measures. From the results, the researcher makes decisions relevant to the hypothesis. If the results support the hypothesis, it is accepted. If the analysis does not support the hypothesis, then it is reported as “failure to accept.” Researchers tend to leave some “wiggle room” to make different decisions when the studies are replicated. One study (or even several studies) on a hypothesis is rarely sufficient to “prove” a correlation and causation.

Report Results Publish findings Debrief participants, if needed Support theoretical perspective Spin off next studies The last step is to report the results. Depending on the purpose of the study and the resources of the researcher, it may be an informal report back to supervisors or it may be a nationally publicized article. It may be necessary to inform the participants of the results. For example, when testing a vaccine the control group receives a placebo while the experimental group receives the real vaccine (independent variable). If the hypothesis is accepted and the vaccine is shown to have some efficacy, then the control group should be given the choice to receive the real vaccine. Generally, one draws conclusions from the results that serve to support a particular theoretical perspective. One study often raises questions that can be used as the starting point for the next studies and the studies after that and the studies after that… … ...

Ethical Considerations Do not harm the subjects Informed consent before participation Do not coerce participation Do not deceive participants or sponsors Use ethical means of data collection Report results accurately From beginning to end in this process, it is essential to operate in the most ethical way possible. The researcher’s integrity must be above question. First and foremost, the study should do no harm -- physically, psychologically, reputationally, socially, etc. Before agreeing to be a part of the study, participants have the right to all information that would be needed to make an informed decision. In a prison study in England in the 1950’s, subjects were relieved from their regular prison duties and paid more than twice as much as their regular prison pay for participation. They were told that they would be injected with “some cell” and then would be given regular blood tests to see if the cells multiplied in their bodies. They would be allowed to read, play cards, etc. in the prison hospital unit and if they did not like the study, could return to their regular jobs and routines. Many volunteered. At no time were the words cancer or leukemia used in the information provided to prospective subjects; but that is what the “cells” were. Once injected with cancer, how can on quit the study and return to regular prison life? Notes continue on the next slide.

Film Clip Research ethics in Krippendorf’s Tribe

Societies and the Major Social Revolutions

What is a Society? A group of people who share a culture and a territory Example - United States

Hunting and Gathering Societies Simplest type People rely on vegetation and game Small (25-40 people) Nomadic Most egalitarian of all societies

Societies Branched in One of Two Directions Key to first branching is pasture - Pastoral Societies are based on pasturing of animals. Key to second branching is horticulture - Horticulture Societies are based on the cultivation of plants by the use of hand tools.

Pastoral Societies Based on the pasturing of animals Developed in arid areas Remained nomadic

Horticultural Societies Societies in which people plant gardens for subsistence. No longer having to abandon an area as the food supply gave out, these groups developed permanent settlements.

The Agricultural Revolution Occurred about five or six thousand years ago Ushered in by invention of the plow, marking large-scale agricultural production possible, and leading to agrarian societies.

Agrarian Societies Based on agriculture More efficient - huge surplus More complex division of labor Considerable inequality Cities develop Rapid population growth

The Industrial Revolution Began around 1764 Third major social revolution Ushered in by invention of steam engine

Industrial Societies Rely on machines powered by fuels Increased efficiency of production Greater surplus Rapid population increase Inequality increased at first; later wealth more widely shared

The Information Revolution Emerging new social revolution ushered in by computer chip

The Information Revolution Emerging new social revolution ushered in by computer chip

Postindustrial Societies Dominated by information, services, and high technology more than the production of goods United States was 1st country to have over half of its work force employed in service industries. Http://web.missouri.edu/~socbrent/timeline.htm

Assignment Next class – Chaco Legacy Read Chapter 2