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Global Health Econ Sustain Weber and Martineau: Bias in sociological method

ideal typological method when she indicated that: “It is not gather information, two elements stood out: (1) The
enough (…) for equal and active comprehension, leading recommendation to study things, using people’s discourse
to accurate perception of individuals facts themselves; he as if it were a commentary on them and (2) the occasional
must also be in possession of principles which may serve as need to distance oneself a little to have a more accurate view
a meeting point for his observations, and without which he of the phenomenon. She also reinforced the idea that the
can neither determine his bearings nor be secure of putting greater the number of observers (three to four), the better
a right interpretation on them” (Martineau, 2021, p. 38). In the accuracy of the description tends to be. Furthermore,
this sense, just as Weber emphasized the need to construct if the goal is to understand the morals and customs of a
an ideal type before the process of observation, Martineau people, considering only “the discourse of individuals
pointed out that “the true philosopher, the worthy observer, is a hopeless undertaking” (Martineau, 2021, p. 86). She
first contemplates in imagination the range of humanity, argued for a greater variety of data sources, suggesting
and then ascertains what principles of morals are applicable the possibility of data triangulation for a better study of
to them all, and judges by those” (Martineau, 2021, p. 40). a specific phenomenon (Patton, 2014). She provided

Harriet Martineau also provided examples related to examples of these procedures in the study of religion,
the different classifications of what Weber referred to as stating that “a shorter and safer method is to examine the
“social action.” In this regard, she indicated that “knowing places of worship, the condition of the clergy, popular
that some influences act upon the minds of all persons in superstitions, the observance of holy days, and some
all countries, he seeks everywhere certain feelings of right other peculiarities of the kind” (Martineau, 2021, p. 102).
and wrong, which are as certain to be in every human Clearly, such examples can be applied, for instance, to
mind as if they were born with it” (Martineau, 2021, p. 44), sports phenomena, such as football. What are the stadiums
and she showed many examples in the pages 44 to 46 from like, the dressing rooms, and the daily lives of the workers
How to Observe: Morals and Manners. Indeed, many of the in that space? What is the surrounding area of the stadiums
types of social action presented by Weber are explicitly like on match days, and what are the movements of the
explained by Martineau in different contexts, including fans? In other words, for Martineau, a thorough analysis
various examples related to religious customs and suicide involves more than just people’s words; it also includes
(Martineau, 2021, p. 113). observing the various contexts surrounding them.
In addition to philosophical requirements, Martineau Regarding methodological aspects, she incorporated
also indicated moral requirements that should guide the insights from Quetelet’s statistical method (Marconi &
observation of morals and customs. Under the influence Lakatos, 2010) when discussing the systematization of data
of a positivist perspective, she suggested that “an observer, on the health of a community. In this regard, she suggested
to be perfectly accurate, ought to be himself perfect” that the construction of tables and the examination of
(Martineau, 2021, p. 61); however, she emphasized that averages can help in understanding and observing morals
“...as we do not expect to be perfect, (...) we must be content and customs. In addition, she provided relevant indications
with discovering, to prevent our task from being hopeless, regarding the recording of facts, which she referred to as
and how we may put ourselves in a state to learn at least mechanical methods. In this regard, she suggested having
something truly” (Martineau, 2021, p. 61). three instruments for systematic observation: (1) a list
of questions: “...he should provide himself, before setting
Martineau further pointed out that a person concerned out, with a set of questions, so framed as to include all the
with the quality of the information to be observed “must great classes of facts connected with...” (Martineau, 2021,
have sympathy, and his sympathy must be untrammeled p. 237). She reinforced that “these questions are not meant
and unabated. (...) an observer of morals and customs will to be thrust into the hand of anyone who may have the
be disappointed at every turn if he cannot find his way information to give. They should not even catch their
into hearts and minds” (Martineau, 2021, p. 62). Although attention. The traveler who appears to be taking notes amid
Martineau does not explicitly explain what sympathy is, she conversation is at risk of carrying imperfect information as
reinforced the idea that with sympathy, “...everything that he far as they go, and much restricted in quantity compared
[the observer] sees will be instructive, and the most important to what it would be if allowed to be forgotten (…). If they
matters will be most clearly revealed. If he is unsympathetic, let the conversation flow naturally, without verifying it
the most important things will be hidden from him, and the through the production of pens and notebooks, they will,
symbols (with which every society abounds) will be nothing even if their memory is not the best, have more to establish
but absurd or trivial forms” (Martineau, 2021, p. 67). by the end of the night than if they were to take notes on
Importantly, while she emphasized the need to engage the spot, as evidence…” (Martineau, 2021, p. 238). She also
with the people and groups from which one seeks to suggests that the observer should constantly add to this list

Volume 1 Issue 2 (2023) 6 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.0992