Objectivity & Subjectivity

Value freedom v Value relevance

• Value freedom is the idea that all

bias should be eliminated from
research
• Only then can it be seen as
objective
• But values are complex and can
effect what a researcher chooses
to study
• This is value relevance
• The theoretical perspective
adopted by the sociologist has
values and assumptions that may
influence the purpose of the
research
• Relate this to Ann Oakley’s work
 Durkheim v Weber
Positivism v Interpretivism
• Sociology should study
observable phenonema
• Relationships between social
facts should be measured
• Social inquiry is no different
from natural scientific inquiry
• Quantitative methods should
be used to acquire objective
data
• The validity and reliability of
this data should stand up to
scrutiny
• Sociology involves the
understanding of social action
• No value judgements should
be made as to whether the
actions are good or bad
• Sociologists should interpret
action from a value-laden
perspective
• Different concepts would be
formed because of pre-existing
values
• Once a concept is generated,
objectivity is possible
 Values in the research Process
• Objectivity can be difficult to
achieve as values can enter the
research process at different
stages
• Choosing a topic
• Obtaining funding
• Choosing a method
• Selecting questions
• Recording responses
• Interpreting findings
• Selecting findings to use in report
• Deciding what the research will be
used for
Therefore, is Sociological research a
subjective process?
• Modern Interpretivists would
argue that sociology cannot be
objective or value free
• People are social actors and
have subjective motivations
• And make sense of the world
through interpretations of
meanings
• Society is the product of
everyday social interaction
• Qualitative methods allow
insight into meanings and
motives
 Howard S Becker
• Becker believed that it was
impossible to carry out research
that is uncontaminated by
personal and political beliefs
• We can never avoid taking sides
because behaviour should be
analysed from the viewpoint of
those being studied
• However it is crucial that
sympathies should not render the
research invalid
• Therefore the limitations of the
research should be clearly stated
Political Alignment

• Much Sociological theory can be

placed on a spectrum from left to
right
• The political nature of some
theories means that they cannot
be value free
• Marxism and feminism can be
described as committed Sociology
where Sociology cannot be neutral
• Their theories and research aims
to bring about social change and
therefore can be seen as
politicised
 Political Aims

• Because feminists are committed to

social change for women, they may
misinterpret women’s real
experiences to fit in with their
political aims
• They may impose on women their
value of liberation
• By focusing on the oppressed
group, they fail to reveal the
standpoint of the oppressors
• This bias cannot be seen as value-
free
• However feminists make no such
claim
Social Constructionism

• Social Constructionists suggest

that Sociologists should question
concepts and categories that
people use to understand the
social world
• They are critical of “taken for
granted” knowledge
• Concepts and categories are
relative to specific historical times
and cultures
• Knowledge is not the product of
objective observation but is
socially constructed through
discourse (Burr 1995)
 Social constructionism and Subjectivity

• This theory indicates that

sociology cannot be value-free
• It is bound up with particular
discourses and values
• There can be no objective truth
because truth varies with
historical and cultural context
• This makes research problematic
• If all knowledge is relative, how
can one piece of research be
more objective than another?
• Postmodernists don’t think it can
 Conclusion
• Gomm (2004) argues that sociology cannot avoid values as society
is made up of values
• Sociologists are members of society and they cannot avoid the
influence of their cultural beliefs on their work
• Gouldner (1962) describes “value-free Sociology as a myth” as
research is influenced by “domain assumptions”
• Domain assumptions are basic assumptions about social life and the
nature of society
• Sociologists therefore need to bring their assumptions and values
into the open so that others are aware of possible bias
• This is an issue of integrity if research findings are to be used in
policy making and fed back into cultural beliefs
 Summary Questions

• What is the difference between value freedom

and value relevance ?

• Outline views that suggest that Sociology cannot

be value – free

• Why would Postmodernists believe that research

cannot be objective?