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Theoretical issues
ОглавлениеTheoretical issues cover questions concerning what anthropologists think culture is like and whether they can obtain an accurate, truthful picture of it. The way in which an anthropologist studies the social world can be influenced by their theoretical beliefs about society.
| Validity | A valid method is one that produces a true or genuine picture of what something is really like. It allows the researcher to get close to the truth. Many anthropologists argue that qualitative methods such as participant observation provide a more valid or truthful account of what it is like to be a member of a group than quantitative methods such as a questionnaire. |
| Reliability | A reliable method is one that, when repeated by another researcher, gives the same results. Quantitative methods, such as written questionnaires, tend to produce more easily comparable results than qualitative methods such as observation, but many anthropologists argue that qualitative methods yield a deeper and more complex form of knowledge. |
| Representativeness | A representative method is one where the people studied form a typical cross-section of the group in which the researcher is interested. If the sample selected is representative or typical of the wider population, the findings can be used to make generalizations (for example, statements about the whole group can be made). |
| Choice of topic | Theoretical issues will impact not only on the choice of method but also on the choice of topic in the first place. Anthropologist may well be influenced in their choice of research topic by their theoretical position. |
