Positivism In The Theory Of Bandura's Bobo Doll Experiment

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Positivism in sociology is an approach to study society advocating techniques similar to those used when observing the natural sciences (Browne, 2013). Positivist researchers use empirical scientific methods, and are grounded in the rational proof/disproof of scientific assertions and "assume a knowable, objective reality" (Babbie 2010). Sociologists like Durkheim stated that the aim should be to study the external social forces, that mould the ideas and actions of people, he named this notion 'social fact ', and believed these forces could be measured quantitatively - in numerical/statistical form (Browne, 2013; Schmaus. 1994). In 1986 he employed a positivist approach to conduct research, in his famous study 'le suicide ' - in which wanted …show more content…

Examining the criticism of Bandura 's Bobo Doll Experiment, bias and ethics cause interference with the positivists scientific ideology. Hart & Kritsonis (2006) noted experimenter bias in several areas of the study. Selection bias; Bandura 's subjects were all from upper-middle class backgrounds. As well as, an unclear history of subjects; as ethnicity was never documented, yet claims were made based on their findings about lower socioeconomic communities. Moreover, according to Wortman, Loftus & Weaver (1998), Bandura 's experiment was unethical, as the children were manipulated and taunted - agitation was incited, thus they were trained to behave aggressively, possibly, leading to long-term …show more content…

Gold, 1958. Firstly, the covert 'complete participant ' method, which involves the real identity of the observer being concealed, while the researcher fully involves themselves in the lives of the group. This eliminates the 'Hawthorne effect ' and increases validity, but raises many ethical concerns. The second is an emic approach he called 'participant as observer ', an overt method involving the researcher fully participating in the daily lives of the group, with the group aware that research is being conducted - although objectivity is questioned with this approach, it is the most ethical stance. Thirdly, an etic approach, he labelled 'observer as a participant ' stance, the researcher is not a participating member of activities and simply observes, thus, promoting objectivity. And fourthly, the 'complete observer ', raising ethical concerns as it is conducted without informed consent, and the group is completely unaware they are being observed as the researcher is completely hidden. (Cohen, 2006; Kawulich,

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