Dead Crabs and Bike Stealing

Everyone is shaped by their personal backgrounds and experiences that construct their opinions, 

knowledge, and capabilities. Within the world of methods and research, these contexts should be 

taken into account because of their drastic effects on data outcomes. There are multiple categories 

of experience and evidence that are explained that are possible influences on data for which 

researchers should try and be aware. Bourdieu explains the importance of people’s experiences 

especially in the terms of culture, Igo proposes the phenomenon of the over-saturation of survey 

data in modern culture, and Pager discusses ethical and methodological concerns in obtaining 

valid data (particularly in audit research).

One of Bourdieu’s main ideas was that people’ socio-economic class has a profound effect on 

people’s knowledge of culture. People who are born into higher classes are much more likely 

(as indicated by the study performed) to appreciate, understand, and seek out fine art. Because 

of socio-economic status, people are able to enroll in more and higher quality education, 

experiencing a wider array of cultural knowledge reserved for the elite. Exposure to art museums 

and classical music are luxuries usually afforded only to the rich. The survey indicated that the 

knowledge of composers increases dramatically with higher paying jobs and conversely, knowledge 

of mainstream music increases with lower paying, more menial jobs. Thus, if a survey conductor 

or researcher wanted to understand the calming effects of certain types of music or a comparison 

of art pieces, a representative sample of social classes should be maintained as to mimic accurately 

all of the American population.

On the other hand, if a museum or particular company is looking for specific types of people 

socio-economic status would be an important factor to consider when selecting or targeting 

survey-takers. The survey pitfall that comes to find is that of “The Literary Digest” in 1936 that 

predicted Landon would beat FDR in a landslide election. What actually occurred, of course, was 

FDR’s landslide victory that was incorrectly predicted due to bad survey practices. Only those who 

subscribed to the magazine were polled, aka those who had disposable income during the Great 

Depression, which was a niche of Americans more likely to vote for Landon that FDR.

In Igo’s article, the topic shifts to the massive amounts of survey data available to the public. With 

this massive amount of survey data, there are many opportunities for misinterpretations and slanted 

results. One of the reasons Igo listed is when over-saturation occurs is that people become so 

comfortable with questions and can begin to answer the way that they think the survey should be 

answered. Another negative consequence is people become overly sensitive to their lives being 

recorded in the form of ethnographies, surveys, and interviews as indicated by the example of 1920’s 

Indiana. One parody example is that of Monty Python and their “infommercial” of Whizzo butter.

Pager discusses the pitfalls and difficulties of audit research, or research that involves an experiment 

in real-world situations. The study in question was one of job applicants and discrimination of race in 

entry-level job positions. One of the more important issues that arrived was one of ethical concerns. 

Should people be allowed to perform research when people are not aware that they are being tested? 

Obviously, there is some research that cannot be performed without this ignorance, because participants 

would otherwise skew data (no one wants to be viewed as racist/sexist/etc.). But then, what rights do 

these participants have in regards to possible ramifications of participation and how can these rights be 

protected? Practically, research performed that can provide valuable information are given passes by the 

IRB for the purpose of the research, but ethically, should these be allowed to happen? One example of 

this same type of discrimination audit research is the TV show, “What Would you Do?” where the set-up 

is a pair of men stealing a bike, one white and one black, and who gets approached more often by bystanders.

The people on the tape are seen as participating in high levels of racial discrimination, so often want to 
keep their faces blurred. What responsibility do the producers have to exposing the frequency of racist 
behavior versus the privacy rights of the people unaware of their participation? The example of audit research 
is just one type of research that has its drawbacks and confounding variables for which researchers should 
remain vigilant.

These are ideas that I carry with me when performing research. There are always issues of confounding 
evidence or finding ways to have evidence to support your points. All researchers should be wary of different 
ways that research can be compromised in order to produce good quality research that does not violate ethical 
or ideological concerns.