SUBJECTIVITY
Qualitative research looks into the discursive potential of discourses and cultures in an open and systematic way. It contrasts sharply with the reductionism and delimitation of human subjectivity that persists in traditional quantitative research. Qualitative methodology recognizes that the subjectivity of the researcher is intimately involved in scientific research. Subjectivity guides everything from the choice of topic that one studies, to formulating hypotheses, to selecting methodologies, and interpreting data. In qualitative methodology, the researcher is encouraged to reflect on the values and objectives that bring to the research and how these affect the research project. Other researchers are also encouraged to reflect on the values that any particular investigator utilizes.
Subjectivity is thus broadly used and has become a word with many subtle shades of meaning. Subjectivity from a subject’s point of view is usually opposed to objectivity. The most value-neutral definition would be that it is the thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and desires that comprise a person’s self-identity. However, in a traditional scientific discourse, subjectivity is often presented as the polar opposite of objectivity.
However, Qualitative methodology has no objectivist strand. Objectivism states that the researcher’s subjectivity can be enabled to accurately comprehend the world as it exists in itself. Of course, subjectivity can make the researcher biased and preclude objectively understanding a subject’s psychological reality. However, this is not inevitable. In fact, one of the advantages of recognizing subjectivity is to reflect on whether it facilitates or impedes objective comprehension. Distorting values can then be replaced by values that enhance objectivity.
Subjectivity’s role in relation to the sociological approach is crucial. Subjectivity is a commonly used concept that has taken on a variety of meanings. The inner state of the self-constituted by thought, experience, sentiment, belief, intentionality, self-knowledge, and the awareness of others, is the most value-neutral concept.
Objectivity is seen as an essential element in conducting academic research and conveying a general view of a field in the conventional research paradigm that originated from the natural sciences, as well as the fact that subjectivity should be limited to the greatest degree possible. In light of the results, a number of generalizations can be made. Human beings are usually treated as subjects to be studied when they become part of an experimental study process, contrary to popular belief, and they are socially situated and revealed.
Subjectivity in social research
The problem of subjectivity in social theory arises when one wants to give a central place to actors’ understandings and motives in the concrete situations in which they act while seeking to describe and explain social phenomena in terms of fixed categories specified in a theoretical framework. The challenge then is to represent the actors’ subjective views within those categories in a way which preserves that centrality. Although the problem appears in many forms of theorizing, it is especially urgent when theoretical concepts are proposed as universal, holding irrespective of time and place.
Approaches in Sociology
Subjectivist approaches on the other hand place their emphasis on the person, as they value individual experiences and aim to uncover the meaning behind these actions. The macro-structures are not of much relevance. Sociological approaches which follow this line of thought include symbolic interactionism, phenomenology and ethnomethodology. Symbolic interactionism focuses on the hidden or inherent meanings ascribed to things and is interested in how communication and interaction shape the social world. Phenomenology is built around symbolic interactionism and studies consciousness as a structure experienced in the first person. Ethnomethodology studies how social order is produced as a result of social interaction. All these approaches understand society from a micro perspective.
According to Schutz, social sciences are constructs of the second degree, meaning, they are constructs of constructs made by individuals (actors). Therefore, in order to understand this, the social scientist must observe and explain this in accordance with the rules of his science. In this case that translates to observing and understanding the root of social interaction and action that constructs meaning in everyday life. Bittner was hesitant in terming these approaches as subjectivist as they would get lost within the discourse around objectivity and subjectivity. He argued that experience cannot entirely be construed as ‘subjective’ as it includes references to an objective social world. To characterise phenomenology as subjective opens a dangerous territory. While it is inherently subjective, it is not void of objectivity. Bittner urges to draw attention to the fact that the factual reality of the world actually has an effect on the subject.
Research Methods: Subjectivity
Experiments have always been a preferred method to study human behaviour in both disciplines. However, as approaches and theories developed researchers now use a range of methods to obtain qualitative data that is rich. Interpretivism integrates human interest into the study and aims to uncover the reasoning behind human behaviour and actions. While experiments allow for a description of unbiased data, they may not always reflect what is happening in the real world. A controlled environment is not the same as everyday life and what researchers are interested in studying is human behaviour in real life. Field experiments, observations and qualitative interviews are examples of research methods that allow for a subjective interpretation of behaviour. Qualitative interviews, for example, provide subjects with the platform to express their thought process and with precautions bias that could confound data can be avoided. These tools are greatly useful when wanting to describe lived experiences.
Thus, subjectivity is generally conceptualized as the way research is influenced by the perspectives, values, social experiences, and viewpoints of the researcher. Traditional scientific discourse equates subjectivity with personal biases because, according to its empirical orientation, direct or indirect influence of the researcher on the collection, handling, interpretation, and reporting of data invalidates the research findings. For this reason, research reports from a scientific orientation make a claim to objectivity, a principle is drawn from postpositivism that researchers should make every attempt to remain distanced from the phenomenon under investigation.
The significance of social research
Source of Knowledge: Social research is an important source of knowledge. It opens new ways of knowledge and wisdom. When something unknown brings to a researcher, there is a sort of inner pleasure and happiness. It gives knowledge to the researcher about unknown facts. It paves out the way of ignorance and gives new directions to social life.
Research in Informative: It provides updated, proven, authentic and very useful information to the end-users. Researchers and common people can take advantage of research. It is not only informative. Its findings are scientifically based therefore the results and information are reliable.
Social Cohesion and Unity: Social unity in a problematic area between two groups or castes is only possible due to social research. Social research manifests the causes of these events and gives a remedial solution to them. So, social researcher is the main factor in bringing social coherence and unity in society.
Social Planning: If someone wants to develop and bring social growth and development in a society, social planning will be developed which is the outcome of social research. In this situation achieve the growth of society on right line is highly necessary. Social growth can possible only when problems are solved.
Solution of Social Problems: Social research also helps in the solution of social problems it is the research through which we can find the causative factors of an existing social problem and guide us about his solution.
Structural Changes: Social research is responsible for bringing structural changes in social life. We bring social and cultural change in a social situation which is the outcome of social research.
Social Welfare: Social evils can be removed from society due to research. The process of social welfare is possible due to the procedure of social research through which social evils can be removed.
Social Prediction: Social research helps in making laws and the relation between social laws and their factors. It helps to know the existence of causative factors and their magnitude and this facilitates prediction of results.
Social Control: For smooth running of society social control is necessary. For this purpose, we apply social research to society for bringing social order and control.
Social Growth: The growth and development in a society are possible for the improvement of living standard and it is the main function of social research.
New Techniques: Social Research introduces new techniques and improves the old ones. It also modifies the existing tools of research. It gives us the methods of knowing new ways for using our research procedure.
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