A
It is appropriate for sociologists to study the field dispassionately but they should not try to reform society. The reason behind this notion is because sociology is a science and when scientists engage in reform efforts, the scientific method that they apply is going to be clouded. Sociologists are supposed to examine data as it presents itself and interprets it based on the responses gathered (Cole & Harriet 2017). However, when sociologists will try to interpret data on the lens that reflects their perspectives, the final results, and recommendations from the study will be biased and not reflect the actual intention of the study.
It is important that sociologists limit themselves to study the way that human beings influence society and how society influences people. In this respect, some of the things that ought to be examined by sociologists through research comprise of the transformations brought about by social issues, investigating social interactions by observing and interviewing people in the society and sharing the information they get so that people can reform the society from an informed point of view (Cole & Harriet 2017). Therefore, it is imperative that sociologists study the subject dispassionately. Removing emotional, rational, and impartial judgments from a scientific research is imperative in improving the validity and reliability of a study.
B
In sociology, there are three major theoretical perspectives which are; functionalism theory, conflict perspective theory, and symbolic interaction theory. The functionalism theory focuses on the contributions of the different functions within the society to the co-existing relationships in the society (Bhandari, 2019). The conflict perspective theory, on the other hand, focuses on the conflict, completion, constraint, and change within the society. The symbolic interaction theory emphasizes on the interactions between and among individuals basing on the mutually understood symbols. Drawing from the different notions among the three theories, it is apparent that all three theories have different perspectives on how to view society. Therefore, there is no best way since the three have varied ideas which are all integral in the study of sociology. As a sociologist, it will be imperative to integrate all three theories when conducting research and when applying the garnered knowledge.
C
Since sociologists conduct studies on human subjects and the profession majorly entails working with human subjects, it is imperative that they observe ethical standards all the time. However, it is not appropriate for sociologists not to identify themselves since when conducting human research, it is a requirement to get consent from the human participants. By attaining informed consent, sociologists have a way of not misrepresenting themselves as they will be given the authority to carry on with the study. Therefore, identifying oneself with the participants is essential and unethical for one not to identify him or herself. Identifying themselves will not destroy their access to research settings or informants if they clearly explain their course and purpose for conducting the research (Bhandari, 2019). Identifying themselves to the participants is not only ethical but it makes the respondents feel at ease to take part in the study considering the fact that human beings are social beings. Avoiding to inform the participants of the people conducting the research is inappropriate as it lowers the credibility and reliability of a study.
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