3.2: Sociologists Perform Survey Research

Since by far the most common form of research in sociology is survey research, we are going to discuss how and when it is most useful. Sociologists study people who chose, decide, succeed, fail, harm others, harm themselves, and behave in rational and irrational ways. If you took an ounce of gasoline and placed a burning match upon it, the gas would have to burn. The gas has no choice just as the flame has no choice. But, if someone placed a burning match on your arm, or the arm of your classmate, you or they might respond in any number of ways. Most would find the experience to be painful. Some might enjoy it, others might retaliate with violence, and yet others might feel an emotional bond to the one who burned them. Sociologists must focus on the subjective definitions and perceptions that people place on their choices and motivations. In general surveys are research instruments designed to obtain information from individuals who belong to a larger group, organization, or society. The information gathered is used to describe, explain, and at times predict attitudes, behaviors, aspirations, and intended behaviors. Surveys are easily used to collect information about political views, social and religious opinions, demographic information, past or expected future behaviour, and even marital happiness and characteristics such as communication style, level of commitment, and fidelity.

Polls are typically surveys which collect opinions, such as who one might vote for in an election, how one feels about the outcome of a controversial issue, or how one evaluates a public official or organization. Surveys can be administered once (cross-sectional). Or they can be administered at two or more times (longitudinal).

If you administer your survey and get a good response rate--the percentage of people who complete your survey--you can generalize your results to the entire population. Generalizability means that the results from the sample can be assumed to apply to the population as though the population itself had been studied.

Also important is the quality of the survey itself as a scientific instrument. Valid survey questions are questions that are accurate and measure what they claim they'll measure. For example let's say we wanted to know how students feel about a Lacrosse team at College of the Canyons. Which statement should we ask them about their agreement to? 1. "Every campus needs a Lacrosse team" or 2. "College of the Canyons would benefit from a Lacrosse team." The first asks about all campuses, not specifically this one. It's seeking an opinion about campuses and Lacrosse teams in general. The second asks specifically about this campus and is a valid measure of what we want to know. Reliable questions are questions that are relatively free from bias errors which might taint the findings. In other words, reliable survey questions are consistent and if I ask a similar group of people the same question I will get similar results.