Social research attempts to understand the world and the societies within it by studying human behavior, built and natural spaces, and the interconnections between people, places, and things. Since social research analyzes the foundations of what make up societies, the findings from this kind of research have the potential to change individuals, groups, organizations, governments, and society as a whole. Modern sociology has adopted both qualitative and quantitative methods to conduct research, and there are a host of ways the results of these studies can influence society.

Social research begins with the desire to further understand an aspect of a society, and it often involves field research, although this is shifting in light of our techno-social world. Field research often consists of in-depth interviews of participants and experts, documented observations, and surveys (Rafalovich, 2024). Once field research has been completed, analysis of data and formulation of conclusions follows, and these can either support or reject the hypothesis. After conclusions have been documented, the findings should be published so that they can be publicly and academically available. This is both for peer verification of the conclusions and to help implement policies or personal practices changes that can improve the situation that was under study. One aspect of sociological research that has changed is the availability of “digital field research,” or rather the use of social media, digital conversations and spaces, and the internet in general. However, digital field research does not totally replace in person methods, and social research will have to continue relying on these methods in order to gather as accurate as possible snapshots of populations of study since the digital world marginalizes some members (Butcher et al., 2023).

The conclusions from social research can eventually lead to the formation of social theories. Theories are developed over time after conclusions from multiple researchers coalesce into verifiable trends. One important aspect of theories is that they have to be able to be proven wrong (Rafalovich, 2024). If a theory cannot be proven wrong, then it does not allow researchers to measure and test it in a scientific way. The criteria of measurements and tests consists of reliability, objectivity, and validity for a given study. Theories can be used as a foundation or benchmark for future social research, such as with deductive and inductive research methods.

Deductive methods work from a known theory and develop a hypothesis to be tested, and the results either further support the theory or support the theory less, depending on whether the hypothesis was supported or not from the experiment (Schutt, 2020). Inductive methods, on the other hand, begin with observations and data, and analysis of these can create an explanatory framework and eventually lead to the development of a theory. Inductive methods are primarily used in qualitative studies while deductive methods are favored in quantitative, but there is no hard boundary to this distinction, and the methods can be used interchangeably when appropriate for the study being conducted.

Social research is frequently divided between quantitative and qualitative methods, although mixed methods are sometimes used. Quantitative methods aim to study the world without distortion, look to validate measurements and causal connections, and work toward generalizability (Schutt, 2020). Common qualitative methods within sociology center around historical sociology, interviews, and in-depth, immersive ethnography (Duneier, 2020). The three methods are often distinct, although overlaps in a study can occur. Historical sociology is the most similar to quantitative methods in that it looks for causal connections on archived data and resources; interviews and ethnography are steeped in the present and attempt to better understand individual subjectivities. Specific quantitative methods include measurement (single questions, indexes, measurement theory, social context, quantification of qualitative data, translation), generalization (statistical inference, response rates, systematic reviews), and causation (casual mechanism, contextual effects, and survey experiments) (Schutt, 2020). Qualitative researchers encounter ethical dilemmas and must consider how data is obtained, but quantitative researchers do not need to interact with the people from whom the data was extracted (Duneier, 2020). Additionally, qualitative researchers must be careful not to create situations that will support their experiment hypotheses, such as through the use of leading questions, and it is very difficult to report levels of uncertainty. Quantitative research, however, easily depicts levels of uncertainty and does not have issues of investigator effects.

Modern quantitative social research often relies on the use of big data. Big data can help showcase what people do instead of just what they say, which is a prevalent issue in sociological research since most sociological data is self-reported and therefore subject to inaccurate memory, desire to project certain ideals or images, and intentional falsification of information (Radford & Lazer, 2020). Nowcasting is one method that constructs a picture of the present based on big data, and it can be very useful for accessing dynamic information and providing results for people to use. However, nowcasting is dependent on the systems providing the big data, and if their methods change or adopt biases, then the data can over– or under–project current situations. An example is the Google Flu Trends, which, after an algorithm change, began overestimating cases of flu. This estimate then impacted social perceptions of the spread of the flu, and led people and healthcare givers to prepare for a scenario that was not accurate for the situation. However, the use of big data has raised questions of personal rights to identifying information, and these conversations have increased the level of consideration and privacy researchers need to have when conducting a study.

Ethics is one of the core considerations of sociology since it involves the study of humans, their behaviors, and their societies. Social research strives to keep personal data private and to de-identify data, including healthcare documents, age, sex, location, religion, and political beliefs (Pandey, 2024). This is highly important since sociologists do not want people in their studies to face negative repercussions or to have private matters become public, and sociologists would also be unable to conduct further studies if no one wants to participate in them due to privacy issues.

As Robert Park enunciated, sociological theories and ideas should relate to real people and their lives instead of being mere speculations that are not supported by actual facts or data (Duneier, 2020). Therefore, at its core, sociological research analyzes the world as we know, highlights both the interesting and bland trends, and provides this information to whomever can make progress towards improving the areas that are lacking. Even though other historic sociologists, like William Ogburn, claimed that the only goal of sociological research should be the discovery of new knowledge, the data acquired and the conclusions drawn in a study can shed light on social issues and be a gateway for someone else to find solutions. Once humans know about a problem, or the extent of a problem, then steps can be made toward progress at the individual through the societal levels.

Sociological research has influenced changes in many of the fields it has targeted, such as rural and urban studies, critical race theory, and education. Conclusions from studies in these fields are read by people in the local, state, and federal governments and institutions, and they convey trends and issues, the extent of the problems, and provide unique insights. Leaders can then take these conclusions and use them to formulate social programs and policies, and they can influence where funding goes. The conclusions from sociological research can also be made publicly available, and this allows for invested citizens, community members, and business owners to understand certain social trends and patterns. Public members can also influence organizations and governments to enact policies by requesting changes or putting social pressure on them, which is made inordinately easier by the prevalence of social media. Public discourse is a vital outcome of social research, and “by promoting dialogue and debate on issues affecting society, American sociologists have played a crucial role in shaping public discourse and policy, contributing to the advancement of social justice and community well-being” (Pandey, 2024, p. 3).

Social research, whether conducted with quantitative or qualitative methods, has the potential to impact individual people, families, communities, companies, cities, states, and countries. Social research can inform people about new or current societal trends or problems, and this information can lead individuals, organizations, and governments to enact new policies, programs, or other changes to improve the quality of life for people.

Want to know more?

• Butcher, T., Coleman-Fountain, E., Colosi, R., Hillyard, S., Karner, C., Pattison, J., Tarrant, A., & Way, L. (2023). Sociological Research in the Digital Age: Where Have We Come From; Where Are We Going? Sociological Research Online, 28(4), 897-902. https://doi-org.ezproxy2.apus.edu/10.1177/13607804231205697.
• Duneier, M. (2020). Qualitative Methods. In G. Ritzer & W. Murphy (Eds.), The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Sociology (pp. 57–65). John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
• Pandey, M. P. (2024). Evolving landscape of American sociology professional concerns ethical practices and societal contributions. Discover Global Society, 2(54) https://doi.org/10.1007/s44282-024-00088-y.
• Radford, J. & Lazer, D. (2020). Big Data for Sociological Research. In G. Ritzer & W. Murphy (Eds.), The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Sociology (pp. 419–443). John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
• Schutt, R. K. (2020). Quantitative Methods. In G. Ritzer & W. Murphy (Eds.), The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Sociology (pp. 39–66). John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
• Rafalovich, A. (2024). Week 8: Understanding Human Behavior – What Now? [online lecture]. In A. Rafalovich, SOCI510: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Sociology. American Public University. https://www.amu.apus.edu/course-schedule/details/?c=SOCI510.