2/16/2017
Admin
Concepts
Operations
Reality
Labs Etc
Inline for Today
SOC497/L: SOCIOLOGY RESEARCH METHODS
Inquiry > Design
Theory > Hypotheses
Conceptualization:
Research is nexus of those 2
Clarifying Research Topics
Ellis Godard
SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
Admin
Concepts
Operations
Reality
Labs Etc
Admin
Reality
Labs Etc
1. A helpful tool
80%
Concepts
2. An amazing technology
Operations
18%
3. Better than Christmas
Reality
0%
Lab: Love
0%
4. Better than good lovin’
2%
SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
Concepts
Operations
5. Better than good lovin’ on Christmas
4
Reality
Labs Etc
SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
Admin
Q1. How much reading was there for this lecture?
Idea
0%
2. ~12 pages
Wealth
39%
3. ~22 pages
41%
Inequality
4. ~32 pages
20%
Deviance
5. ~42 pages
SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
Concepts
Operations
5
Reality
Labs Etc
Concepts vs. Operations
1. ~2 pages
0%
Operations
Clickers are…
Outline for Today
Admin
Concepts
3
6
Measurement
Income, wages, acrage
owned, stocks held, etc;
individual? Family?
Household? pre/post tax?
In what – wealth? Status?
Power? How measured?
Violating what norm(s)?
How? 1000s+ of e.g.’s
SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
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Concepts
Operations
Reality
Admin
Labs Etc
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0%
Process of agreeing on meaning of a term?
Process of naming some idea with that term!
Concept: mental image to approximate reality
Covers many instances (examples, not cases)
5%
82%
3%
In Practice
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
10%
Definition
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Operations
Reality
Labs Etc
Q2. Which of these is not a concept?
Conceptualization Defined
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Concepts
Authority
Hate
Love
Kissing
Prejudice
Requires expertise, effort, & ingenuity
Not just Social science – though more explicit
 Makes sense – asks us to rethink our reality
 But much sociology =solely conceptual (useless?)
SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
Admin
Concepts
Operations
Reality
Labs Etc
3 Problems w/ Concepts
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What did he mean? What is a “class”…?
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Is it a useful idea? “Are there classes in America?”
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SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
Reality
Labs Etc
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Q3. Concepts are problematic due to all
but which of the following…
Admin
Concepts
Operations
Reality
Labs Etc
2. Over-conceptualization of them
10%
“Wheel of Science” – induction/deduction
Connect generalizations to observations (& vice versa)
Want to understand theory better
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11
22%
Want to understand & analyze comparatively
Want to think of in broader context/meaning
Abstractions help link data & theory
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SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
1. Biases within & against them
Operations on their own are of limited value
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Crime – violation of the law
Deviance – violation of norms
10
But Concepts Matter
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Inequality – economic? status? power?
Structure – 18 different things?
Social Problems under-conceptaulized; not useful
It’s just a useful tool
Consistent application may -> convention
Operations
Labs Etc
Social Forces over-conceptualized; not cohesive
Ideological, political, etc.
Terrorism
Concepts
Reality
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Admin
Operations
 Marx certain he knew what he meant; does anyone else?
Can’t have “conclusive” conceptualization
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Concepts
Class – Immeasurable? Not useful? Meaningless?
Weber and Parsons tarnished the idea
Many in the discipline continue that role 
Concepts may conceal embedded biases
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Admin
9
Issues w/ Core (?) Concepts
Bias against conceptualization
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SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
8
Not MDW, but notion of comprehensive organizing ideas
Respect idea of it, even if not your experience w/ it
3. Under-conceptualization of them
17%
4. Their non-conclusiveness
12%
5. Their complete uselessness
39%
SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
12
SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
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2/16/2017
Admin
Concepts
Operations
Reality
Labs Etc
Operationalization
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What will “it” (whatever it is) “look like”
How will we know it when we see it? What counts ?
Operations/indicators are signs of presence/absence
of the concept studied
Measurements are better/worse – can evaluate them
All meanings are contentious & subject to dispute
Aim to be specific, to enhance objectivity
SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
Admin
Concepts
Operations

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Reality
Labs Etc
Prejudice
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SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
Admin
Concepts
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Not really a challenge to operationalization
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Labs Etc
SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
Q4. Operational challenges include all
but which of the following?
Admin
Verbosity can be impediment
Reality
Labs Etc
2. Simplifying measurements
3. Specifying dimensions
 Erudition is useful only if it provides reliable measure
0%
Complexity doesn’t help
4. Starting with clear concepts
 Want parsimony (simplicity) for validity, reliability, etc.
0%
Danger of Reification
Even meaningless constructs are treated as if real
 Society has lost its family values. Drugs are dangerous.
0%
Result is loss of meaning & precision
SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
Operations
0%
Fanciness isn’t necessary (preferred)
SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
Concepts
0%
 Can use shorthands, idioms, slang, even cliches
 May provide more agreement (so more reliable)
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17
1. Avoiding reification
Try to make the best tool that we can
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E.g. whether prejudice exists and to what degree
Easiest to operationalize if start w/ clear concepts
But, can be confusing, meaningless, even dangerous…
16
Making them Real

Just need to agree on tool that works (not what is)
 Can then act as if they “exist”, & measure them
 They are “real” enough if they help order facts
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SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
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Constructs (prejudice, compassion) don’t “really” exist
Don’t need to posit a de facto “real” existence
Don’t need to get essential nature (that doesn’t exist)
 But not conceptual – measurable variables
 Based on observations even though not observable
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Labs Etc
 Can’t privilege them as really “out there”
Represent abstraction from facts
Reality
Reality
Needn’t impede our methodological processes
IQ, SES, religiosity, elf-esteem, political efficacy
Operations
Operations
15
Babbie takes ontological position
Two examples:
Concepts
For animals
For humans
 what we want for them vs. what they want for themselves
 Ideal types (how much of a concept)
Admin
Actions vs. Feelings
Racial, ethnic, gender
Compassion
 Scales/index (computing from dimensions)
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Labs Etc
Constructs, Concepts, & Reality
Direct observables – lab today
Indirect observables – survey, exam
Constructs

Reality
Groups or Subgroups of instances
Most concepts are multi-dimensional – can group
several ways
14
Classes of “Measureables”
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Operations
Aspects of a Concept (or Construct)
Babbie says must be specific because subjective
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Concepts
Specifying Dimensions
Process of specifying instances of concepts
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Admin
18
5. The ontological reality of concepts
SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
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20
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2/16/2017
Admin
Concepts
Operations
Reality
Labs Etc
Lab Exercise Sequencing
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Labs Etc
(group prep)
Not just “lots or not much” – depends on how many people!
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Not clear what “love” means – lust? Affection? for whom/what?
Split into groups of 3-4
Before you leave lecture, submit names & answers to:
Nothing has a sole, obvious measurement

How does your group conceptualize “love”?
 What kind of love are you interested in looking for? (pick one dimension)
 Not what does it look like - What does it mean? What is love?
Can’t measure something w/o defining it first
 Don’t just say “a feeling of attachment…” to who/what?
 Think critically about precision
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Reality
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 Question assumptions
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Operations
Research Question: How much love is there @ CSUN?
Computing a new variable by combining others
Recoding values into a new structure
Today: Focus = clear concepts first
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Concepts
Prep for Love Lab
Recently: Manipulating operations
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Admin
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Must do for project – or in any inquiry
How has your group operationalized “love”
 What does it look like? How would you know it when you see it?
 What will you count? (pick one indicator!)
SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
Admin
Concepts
Operations
20
Reality
Conducting the Love Lab
Labs Etc
SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
Admin

Go sit in one place on campus for 15 min. & take notes
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Note/count any instances you see of your operations
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Be sure to note/count how many people do not exhibit them
Write a brief (1p?) summary of how much love there is @CSUN

Include your name (I don’t need the others)
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Be clear about your conceptualization & operationalization
66%
26%
3. Hugging each other
0%
4. Kissing each other
5%
Submit your notes and summary @ start of next class
3%
Operations
Team Scores
Points
3
2.4
1.52
Team
Better than good
lov...
A helpful tool
An amazing
technology
Points
SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
22
Reality
Labs Etc
2. Holding door open

Concepts
Reality
1. Affection between two people
By the start of the next lecture:
Admin
Operations
Q5. Which is not an operationalization?
(solo)
B4 next mtng, individually observe using those answers
SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
Concepts
21
5. Smiling at each other
SOC497 @ CSUN w/ Ellis Godard
23
Labs Etc
Team
24
4