The Types of Research Methodology Used in Sociology
Research methods in sociology, the study of society through investigations of social groups, are the ways in which sociologists collect information for their studies. Sociologists conduct research on various group behaviors and social problems. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, sociologists usually specialize in studying topics such as racial and ethnic relations, the family, gender relations, or gerontology. There are numerous research methods used by sociologists, from survey research and quantitative analysis to qualitative methods such as interviews and observational research.
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Survey Research
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In sociology, survey research attempts to explain things like motivation, attitudes, values, political practices and habits of life by analyzing variables across sets of data. Surveys often involve interviewing people or distributing questionnaires for populations of people to complete. Surveys allow sociologists to obtain information from a large number of people inexpensively. One downside to surveys is that they're often only completed by participants on a voluntary basis.
Observational Research
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Observational research in sociology involves directly witnessing a subject's reaction in a controlled environment, whether a laboratory or a natural setting. Unlike surveys, which are often subject to distortion, observational research increases your chances that the subjects being studied will give honest, truthful accounts. However, observational research is also commonly done with volunteers, so it can be a challenge to get a range of participants, which could hurt your study's credibility.
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Experimental Research
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Experimental research attempts to answer why and how something happens by testing the way an independent variable affects a dependent variable. This quantitative research method is often completed using the scientific method, where the sociologist identifies a question, forms a hypothesis, and then conducts the necessary experiment to find an answer. However, according to an article about sociology research methodology from St. Olaf College, the experimental research method isn't often used in sociology. This is partially due to its disadvantages, such as that tested subjects often are not representative of general populations.
Correlation Research
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Correlation research essentially is a combination of survey and observational research. It attempts to study the relationship between two variables. In sociology, these variables can be things like attitudes, behaviors, events and characteristics. If a correlation exists, changes in one of the variables being studied directly affects the other variable. This isn't to be confused, however, with cause-and-effect relationships since correlations don't prove that one value causes another.
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