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in Social Research refers to the ability of the researcher to keep his or her own values (personal, political and religious) from interfering with the research process.

So at one level, Positivists believe that because they are uncovering the 'objective' laws of how social systems work - these laws exist independently of the researchers observing them. All the researcher is doing is uncovering 'social facts' that exist 'out there' in the world - facts that would exist irrespective of the person doing the observing.

Positivists argued that such value-free social research was crucial because the objective knowledge that scientific sociology revealed could be used to uncover the principles of a good, ordered, integrated society, principles which governments could then apply to improve society. Thus, research because otherwise it is unlikely to be taken seriously or have an impact on social policy.

Being "value free" is sometime described as being : to uncover truths about the world, one must aspire to eliminate personal biases, a prior beliefs, and emotional and personal involvement, etc.

'Its treatment of work is consistently negative, almost entirely on its pathologies - alienation, exploitation and inequality. It underestimates the high levels of job satisfaction which empirical research has consistently identified. It de-emphasises the enormous value for individual people and for society as a whole, in the way of increased standards of living and enhanced quality of life work provides. It neglects for the most part to inform students about the oppressive direction of labour of all sorts of socialist societies, or to keep them in mind of the multiple benefits of a free competitive labour market. It treats the need for economic incentives with contempt.'

Feminists are critical of the 'value-free' scientific claims of 'malestream' Sociology, arguing that it is at best sex blind and at worst sexist, serving as an ideological justification for the subordination of women. Sociology reduces women to a side issue from the start.' While Sociology claims to put forward a detached and impartial view of reality, in fact it presents the perspective of men.

There are three main Interpretivist Criticisms of 'Positivist' Sociology - from

He argues that Sociologists react to political, economic and social events - and what is seen as a political or social 'issue', a social 'problem' is dependent on the power of different groups to define and shape reality - to define what is worthy of research. Consequently, it is just as important to look at what sociologists do not investigate as what they do - Sociologists are not necessarily immune to ideological hegemony.

, along similar lines to Gomm, argues that it is impossible to be free from various forms of value judgment in the social sciences. Those who claim to be value free are merely gutless non-academics with few moral scruples who have sold out to the establishment in return for a pleasant university lifestyle.

Gouldner suggests that the principle of value freedom has dehumanised sociologists: He claims that sociologists have betrayed themselves and Sociology to gain social and academic respectability; confusing moral neutrality with moral indifference, not caring about the ways in which their research is used.

takes this argument to its logical conclusion arguing that since all knowledge is political, serving some interests at the expense of others, the task for the sociologist is simply to choose sides; to decide which interests sociological knowledge should serve. Becker argues that Sociology should side with the disadvantaged.

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Value Freedom in Social Research refers to the ability of the researcher to keep his or her own values (personal, political and religious) from interfering with the research process. The idea that 'facts' should not be influenced by the researcher's own beliefs is a central aspect of 'science' - and so when we say that...

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Extended reading - Committed Sociologists

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Topic 4 Objectivity and Values Key Questions