Science, Sociology, and Common Sense

1
Science, Sociology, and Common Sense

• Ideas from Paul LazarsfeldPublic Opinion
  Quarterly (1949)

2
Lazarsfelds Review of The American Soldier

• The American Soldier (1949) was a summary of an
  extensive program of surveys of soldiers during
  World War II
• Many social scientists were involved
• Lazarsfelds review
• Considers criticisms
• Interprets findings
• Concludes that surveys have great value

• Common Sense Is a
• Lousy Guide To Truth

3
Lazarsfelds Review of Other Peoples Criticisms
of The American Soldier

• Big criticism
• Surveys unnecessary only find what people with
  common sense already know
• Smaller gripes
• Cant do history
• Other stuff

• Common Sense Is a
• Lousy Guide To Truth

4
Lazarsfelds Rejoinder to Criticisms

• Main response
• Science requires empirical observation
• Empirical based on actual observation of the
  world
• Science makes systematic observations
• Surveys are tools for empirical observation

• Common Sense Is a
• Lousy Guide To Truth

5
Common Sense and American Soldier Questions

• Question topics
• Tropical climate
• Rigors of Army life
• Mental health
• Desire to come home
• Negro vs white ambition non-coms

• Common Sense Is a
• Lousy Guide To Truth

6
Common Sense and American Soldier Findings

• Common sense
• Tropical climate - Southerners
• Rigors of Army life rural background
• Mental health high IQ sicker
• Desire to come home before surrender higher
• Non-com ambition whites more

• Common Sense Is a
• Lousy Guide To Truth

7
OOPS

• All those findings were the opposite of what
  was found!
• - Of course, common sense could explain the other
  results, too

• Common Sense Is a
• Lousy Guide To Truth

8
CONCLUSIONS

• Common sense is a poor guide to truth
• Science requires systematic empirical observation
• Empirical based on actual observation of the
  world
• Surveys are a form of systematic empirical
  observation (when properly done)

9
Backman Addenda to Lazarsfeld

• Much of what people think is true is false
• Fortunately, were right often enough to get by
• Often can get by being wrong
• Will try to emphasize non-obvious elements in
  social life
• If something in text seems contrary to what you
  would expect, it has a high chance of being on
  exams

• Common Sense Is a
• Lousy Guide To Truth

10
Debunking

• Sociology sometimes called the Debunking Science
• Exposes the bunk (nonsense) in social beliefs

11
Science Changes

• Science is not common sense, but it is not always
  right
• Marx on revolution
• Gas giants (planets) and rings
• European sociologists and cults
• Society changes
• What used to be true may not still be
• Some of what I say aint so
• Just dont know which
• Science is self-correcting

12
Jupiter
13
Uranus and Neptune
14
Ethics

• Sociologists do research on people
• Groups of people cannot be treated like beakers
  of chemicals
• Attempts to manipulate people often no-nos
• E.g., how to change peoples religion
• Observational research can make people look
  foolish or criminal

15
Ethics and Protections for Human Subjects

• University research plans must go through Human
  Subjects review
• Could be fox guarding henhouse, but mostly not in
  my experience
• Of course, the Tuskegee study went on for years
  in front of everyone
• Informed consent
• Tricky because information may change behavior
• Participants in research must be able to opt out
• Must stop if people being hurt
• Professional association codes of ethics

16
Ethics and Tuskegee

• Medical research, run by feds
• Total, total, total ethical failure
• Everybody should have known better
• Only stopped when outsiders got involved
• Insider who tried to stop it got less than
  nowhere for five years until he went to the press
• When New York Times got the story, things changed
  quickly
• National Center for Bioethics in Research and
  Health Care at Tuskegee U was one result
• IRBs more important result