Sociological Research Concepts and Methods

The video explores the perception of the middle class in America and introduces sociological research methods. It emphasizes the importance of defining concepts and forming hypotheses, and explains various data collection methods such as experiments, surveys, and participant observation. The video also discusses the ethics of research and data analysis techniques, highlighting the difference between correlation and causation. It concludes with a summary of the research process and credits.

What percentage of Americans identified themselves as middle class in the 2015 Pew Research Center survey?

• 77%

• 67%

• 87%

• 97%

What is the first step in sociological research?

• Analyzing data

• Collecting data

• Forming a hypothesis

• Defining concepts

What is a hypothesis in sociological research?

• A random guess

• An opinion

• A proven fact

• A statement of a possible relationship between two variables

What does it mean to operationalize a variable?

• To change its value

• To define and measure it exactly

• To guess its value

• To ignore it

Why is it important for measurements to be reliable?

• To ensure consistency

• To save time

• To avoid errors

• To make it easier

Which of the following is NOT a method of data collection in sociology?

• Guessing

• Participant Observation

• Surveys

• Experiments

What was the independent variable in the Moving to Opportunity study?

• Mental health outcomes

• Receiving a housing voucher

• Children's education

• Neighborhood crime rates

What is participant observation?

• Observing people from a distance

• Joining people in their daily routines

• Conducting surveys

• Analyzing existing data

What is the role of an Institutional Review Board in sociological research?

• To ensure ethical standards

• To fund research

• To publish findings

• To collect data

What is the difference between inductive and deductive logical thought?

• Inductive starts with theory, deductive starts with data

• Both start with theory

• Inductive starts with data, deductive starts with theory

• Both start with data