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Value neutrality in Social Science

Values are defined as measures of desirability. They provide general guidelines for conduct. They are general conceptions of the good ideas about the kind of ends that people should pursue throughout the many different activities in which they engage. In research a scientist does not judge whether it is good or bad for the birthrate to go up or down. A researcher is seeing the truth whatever it might be. Sometimes the researcher's desire affects the results of the study.

Lack of scientific detachment may lead the scientist may lead the scientist to use improper procedures. One may or may not agree with the value judgments sociologists have made in their selection of research problems but the main point is to recognize that value judgments underlie the choices made in regard to the issues of research.


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