What is meant by sociological research?

1. Career development
2. Social Research: Definition, Types and Common Methods

By Indeed Editorial Team

Updated July 13, 2022 | Published July 7, 2021

Updated July 13, 2022

Published July 7, 2021

Professionals who conduct social research may study a variety of topics related to human behaviors and interactions, including interpersonal encounters, the formation of societies and the development of individuals’ personalities. Investigating these topics can help social scientists learn more about how individuals, groups and societies interact, develop and function. Understanding this practice and what it involves can help you determine if you want to pursue a career in psychology, sociology or anthropology. 

In this article, we discuss the definition of social research, review the four fundamental types and describe common methods social scientists use to conduct it.

Social research is the study of social trends, dynamics and principles that exist between individuals and within societies. Professionals perform social research in order to better understand the social factors that motivate and influence human beings and to analyze how and why humans interact with each other.

This broad category of research includes topics in many social science fields, such as psychology, sociology and anthropology. Organizations may use social research to improve their marketing practices, and government institutions can use this research to inform legislature and other policies.

Related: Research Methods in Sociology: Types and Examples

Types of social research

Researchers may refer to the approach used in their research as a type of research. Here are the four commonly referenced types of research:

1. Primary research

Primary research involves gathering new data through the creation of an experiment or study. When conducting social research, professionals may gather data through a variety of resources, including surveys, interviews and observations. After they gather data, researchers analyze it in order to generate conclusions that relate to their research question. For example, social scientists may perform a primary social research study in which they observe how humans interact under stressful circumstances.

Related: 6 Steps to Conducting Market Research

2. Secondary research

Secondary research involves analyzing and generating conclusions from data that already exists. Researchers combine, organize and analyze information in order to generate new conclusions from preexisting data. For example, researchers may perform a secondary social research study that analyzes interviews from several studies of women before and after finding out they're pregnant.

Related: What Are Research Skills? Definition, Examples and Tips

3. Qualitative research

Qualitative social research attempts to gather information through non-numerical means, such as observation and interviews. Researchers often conduct studies in a participant's environment to increase trust and accuracy. Then, they analyze qualitative data by formulating themes from the observations and descriptions made during the research. For example, a social qualitative research study may involve observations and analysis of a single long-form interview of a death row inmate.

Related: Types of Research: Definitions and Examples

4. Quantitative research

Quantitative social research uses numerical data to arrive at conclusions. Researchers can collect this data with methods such as polls, surveys and questionnaires. Using these methods, researchers measure specific variables and analyze the data in order to find statistical results. For example, a social quantitative research study may involve measuring the amount of adrenaline produced by humans during stressful social situations.

Related: How To Become a Social Researcher

Methods of social research

Researchers often decide the best way to study a specific social trend, principle or dynamic using a particular method. Some studies are best conducted by analyzing specific numerical data, while other studies are better suited to the analysis of detailed descriptions. Similarly, some studies are best done through primary research, while others are best done through secondary research. Here are some common methods of social research:

Case studies

Case studies are a type of qualitative research that involves an in-depth analysis of a particular individual, group or situation to analyze trends and establish themes. Researchers may conduct the interviews or observations for case studies, or they may analyze information that already exists. For example, a social research case study may involve analyzing the personality of a person who survived exposure to a severe amount of radiation to learn more about the long-term social and cognitive impacts of this incident

Related: How To Write a Research Question: A Guide With Examples

Focus groups

Researchers may facilitate focus groups to ask participants about specific topics and record their responses. Professionals then analyze the data, usually composed of participants’ feelings and opinions, in order to generate plausible conclusions. This method is qualitative, as the information gathered doesn’t involve any numerical data.

Related: 57 Questions To Ask a Focus Group (With Tips)

Structured interviews

This method involves asking research participants specific questions to gather information relevant to the research question. As opposed to a questionnaire or survey, this method is qualitative because it generates conclusions from the quality of the answers given during the interviews, not the quantity. For example, a researcher using a structured interview method may compose a panel to answer specific questions about a recent piece of legislation.

Related: What Is a Research Interview? (And How To Conduct One)

Longitudinal studies

These types of studies follow the same individuals throughout a long course of time, usually more than a few years, gathering specific data that relates to the study. These studies are more challenging to complete, as they require researchers and test subjects to take part in the study for many years. For example, researchers using a longitudinal study may conduct a 15-year observation and analysis of the academic achievements of adopted children and biological children.

Related: Types of Research Methods (With Best Practices and Examples)

Surveys and questionnaires

This method involves asking many people the same set of questions in order to determine the statistical proportions of the answers given by people within the testing group. For instance, researchers using the survey or questionnaire method may begin a study that asks 5,000 people what they consider as the best city for retirement. These types of studies are quantitative, as they focus on statistical information within the research.

Read more: 6 Types of Qualitative Research: Definition and Method Examples

Correlation studies

These social research studies involve researchers attempting to generate correlations between two socially related variables using statistics. For instance, researchers may begin a correlation study of 5,000 test subjects that attempts to generate a connection between graduating college early and receiving a higher salary. Correlation studies are quantitative, as correlations are statistical events.

Related: Quantitative Analyst Career Path (With FAQs)

Delphi method

This method combines open-ended questioning with a calculation of means and medians for the answers given. Researchers take the quality of the answers into account throughout the study, but the quantity of the mean also allows the researchers to generate conclusions. This method is a mix of both quantitative and qualitative research.

Triangulation method

Studies that use the triangulation method seek to answer a research question by combining other studies that sought to answer the same question using different methods. This method also involves both quantitative and qualitative research. For instance, a secondary social research study about the socialization of toddlers that uses the triangulation method may combine a quantitative study on the average age of full language comprehension and a qualitative study on three toddlers that have only interacted with their parents.