1. SOCI Day 4 December 10, 2012

2. Agenda Finish Research Methods Film clip (KT) Begin Culture
Begin film: Chaco Legacy

3. Review of Variables
As I test for increasingly long periods of time, the Energizer AA battery will maintain a higher voltage than other batteries.
Independent Variable?
Dependent Variable?

4. Review of Variables
As I test for increasingly long periods of time, the Energizer AA battery will maintain a higher voltage than other batteries.
Independent Variable? Type of battery
Dependent Variable? Voltage level
Do Class Activity and submit (this is attendance for today)

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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.

8. Class Survey
Open-ended survey question: What is your favorite snack or comfort food?
Hypothesis 1: The sex of the student will be a determining factor in snack food preferences.
Hypothesis 2: Males will prefer savory/salty snacks and females will prefer sweet snacks.
IV? DV?

9. The Data from the Class Survey
N = 33
Salty/Savory Sweet
Males
Females
Can I support my hypothesis?
How might I use such findings?

10. 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… … ...

11. 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.

12. Research ethics in Krippendorf’s Tribe

13. Culture Chapter 2

14. Culture
Society = A group of people who share a culture and a territory
Culture = the way of life for a given society

15. Components of Culture
Material culture = things, i.e., tools, ornaments, buildings, clothing
Cognitive culture = information, knowledge, values
Normative culture = rules based on values and belief system

16. Components of Culture Material Culture Normative Culture
There are three main components of culture. The material and the two aspects of the non-material culture: the cognitive and the normative. The circles are drawn as over-lapping because the components are so connected to one another. For every thing (ie, toaster) you have to have some cognitive information or knowledge (how to plug it in; where to insert the bread; how to push it down and set the control to achieve the appropriate shade) and some norms or rules (don’t immerse it in water; don’t stick a fork or other metal tool into). Further, if you’re mad at your brother, you should not bonk him on the head with the toaster.
Cognitive Culture
Non Material Culture

17. Chaco Canyon Film: Chaco Legacy
View the accomplishments of their culture
Think about the things the had to use (material culture)
Think about the things they did not have
Imagine their cognitive and normative cultural features

18. Assignment
Chapters 2 and 3