Sociology

Sociology Study Guide

While it may be obvious that experimenters should not harm patients, it is a viable concern, as it has occurred in the past. Because of these usually unintended harmful consequences, informed consents are commonly used in sociological experimentation today. Informed consents are detailed explanations of what will be going on in the experiment; the subject is to sign the consent before being a part of the study. The downside to this is that the chances of the Hawthorne effect showing up are greatly increased. The very nature of sociological research can be used in a multitude of arenas. When the researcher shares some sort of relationship with the funding institution, it may unduly pressure the researcher to skewthe findings toward a preferred outcome. Even with the ethical issues involved in sociological research, there are great gains in the understanding of human behaviors and decision-making through appropriate and professional research. Terms to Remember:

Term Population Population Sample Respondents Random Sample

Definition The tested or observed group of people. Representative selection of the entire population. Tested individuals; subjects. Selection of test subjects chosen in a random manner.

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