1 Women’s Studies

2 First Wave Feminism Mary Wollstonecraft’s (1792) A Vindication of the Rights of Women is one of the first written works to be called feminist Suffragette Movement

3 Women’s Studies First Wave Feminism Mary Wollstonecraft’s (1792) A Vindication of the Rights of Women is one of the first written works to be called feminist Suffragette Movement The World Wars Nontraditional jobs Women’s professional sports

4 Backlash!

5 Women’s Studies Second Wave Feminism Fighting for full equality Fighting for control over own body More powerful in regards to voting, financial issues, education and power

6 What is feminism? Feminism is: A belief in equality for all people Men’s and women’s positions in society are based on social institutions and social attitudes Because of these structural inequalities, feminists believe in transforming society on behalf of women Women’s experiences, concerns, and ideas are as valuable as men’s

7 Research Methods in the Social Sciences

8 Scientific Method Best way yet discovered for separating truth from untruth Check your book for steps in the scientific method

9 Types of Research Basic research Seeking knowledge for the sake of knowledge Applied research Seeking solutions to practical problems Program evaluation Does a social program work?

10 Research Methods Nonexperimental Methods: Archival research Naturalistic observation Surveys Case studies Correlational research Experimental Method Advantages Describe and predict behavior Useful when ethical considerations prevent true experimentation Causality

11 Nonexperimental Methods Archival research Comb existing records to test a hypothesis Naturalistic observation Observe a naturally occurring behavior Survey research A sample from a population are asked questions about behavior, attitudes, or thoughts

12 Nonexperimental Methods Case Studies Intensive investigation of an individual or a small group of people Correlational Research Relationships between two factors are investigated

13 Correlational Research Strength of a relationship is represented by a mathematical score Ranges from +1.0 to -1.0 Absolute value signifies strength of relationship Sign signifies nature of the relationship

14 Correlational Research Strength of a relationship is represented by a mathematical score +1.0positive +1.0 – Perfect positive correlation

15 Correlational Research Strength of a relationship is represented by a mathematical score +1.0positive +1.0 – Perfect positive correlation -1.0negative -1.0 – Perfect negative correlation

16 Correlational Research Strength of a relationship is represented by a mathematical score +1.0positive +1.0 – Perfect positive correlation -1.0negative -1.0 – Perfect negative correlation 0.0NoNo 0.0 – No correlation = No relationship!

17 Correlational Research

18 Correlational Research

19 Interpreting Correlations A large-scale study of contraceptive use in Taiwan found that people who had more electrical appliances in their homes were more likely to use birth control. Does this mean that toasters cause people to use birth control?

20 Interpreting Correlations Correlation ≠ Causation!

21 Interpreting Correlations When we find a correlation between two variables A and B, there are three possible explanations: Change in A may cause change in B Change in B may cause change in A Change in C may cause change in both A and B

22 Interpreting Correlations A college professor notices that the farther students sit toward the back of the room, the worse their grades in the course seem to be.

23 Interpreting Correlations A survey of adolescents being treated for eating disorders noted that those who watched the most TV during the week tended to get the lowest ratings on a measure of general health.

24 Interpreting Correlations Correlations allow us to describe relationships Describes how two variables change together, on average, in a large group of individuals Correlations allow us to predict Stronger correlations allow for stronger predictions Predictions are never perfect!

25 Experimental Research causal Investigates causal relationships between factors Deliberately induce change in one factor and observe the effect that change has on other factors Variable: Event or behavior that can assume at least two values

26 Experimental Research Independent variable (IV) The variable the experimenter manipulates Physiological Experience Environmental Participant characteristics are often treated as IVs

27 Experimental Research Dependent Variable (DV) The variable that is measured Can be measured lots of ways: Number correct Frequency Amount Duration

28 Manipulation, Comparison, and Control IV DV Manipulate

29 Manipulation, Comparison, and Control IV DV Compare

30 Manipulation, Comparison, and Control IV DV Control

31 Manipulation, Comparison, and Control IV DV Control

32 Random Assignment Individuals have an equal chance of being in the treatment condition as in the control condition

33 The Beauty of Random Assignment Allows the experimenter to assume the groups are roughly equivalent prior to administering the IV Any external factors that might influence an experiment should be distributed equally in both the treatment and control groups

34 The Beauty of Random Assignment Groups may differ in an important way just by chance Statistical procedures tell us likelihood that results are meaningful

35 Key Elements of True Experiments An independent variable A dependent variable Random assignment of subjects to different levels of the IV A concrete hypothesis of how the IV should affect the DV

36 Cumulative Nature of Science An experiment or nonexperimental study can answer only a few, very specific questions increases Our confidence in scientific findings increases as: Results are replicated Findings from related studies converge on the same conclusion