Využitie štatistických metód v etnografii

Rok, strany: 2002, 5 - 24

This study deals with various possibilities of application of statistical – quantitative methods in anthropology (ethnology), specially in the stage of ethnographical description (analysis of empirical data). It refers to the shortcomings in methodological education and praxis of Slovak ethnography where we can state that quantitative methods are taught and used only very seldom. We claim that almost all of the ethnographically studied phenomena have two levels of understanding – the individual and collective level. It means, we can study it also using concepts such as frequency and distribution in population of individuals. Quantitative methods are irreplaceable when our generalisations refer to collective level of social and cultural phenomena. In statistical approach, an individual phenomenon is considered to be only one part of a collective phenomenon. Our knowledge of an individual phenomenon we can not simply generalise without the risk of errors, but ethnographers must generalise during the process analysis and interpretation of empirical data. Statistical methods provide strong tools for finding solutions of this task. For better understanding of further comments we introduce fundamental concepts of mathematical statistics such as statistical set, statistical unit and statistical feature (also variable). In social sciences, we analyse 3 kinds of data (variables) – nominal, ordinal and cardinal. These different kinds of data need also different methods of analysis. We stress that inadequate choosing of method leads to meaningless results. There are three basic groups of statistical methods applicable in ethnographical data analysis. First group known as univariate statistics is oriented mainly to description of one variable (calculating of central value and measure of variability and describing of frequency distribution). That is why it is often called descriptive statistics. Other interesting part of univariate statistics is testing of statistical hypotheses. When we try to find relations between two variables defined on the same statistical set, we can use methods such as regression (finding the best fit) and correlation (calculating the measure of formal interdependence between variables). These methods belong to the second group of statistical methods known as bivariate statistics. Results of both two groups of statistical tools are used in the third group of statistical methods studying relations (formal interdependences) of more than two variables. To this third group known as multivariate statistics belong modern quantitative methods such as factor analysis and multidimensional scaling, which could be a very strong tool for analysis of complex sociocultural systems, both behavioral and mental (cognitive). All of methods listed in the study are suitable for ethnographical data analysis under some conditions requiring better understanding of mathematical statistics. That is why this study contains more detailed introduction to principles of basic methods and the logic of different data kinds, but it is not enough – there is a significant lack of textbook of quantitative methods for ethnography in Slovak or Czech ethnological literature. In the end of study is listed commonly used statistical software suitable for social sciences with short comments.

ISO 690:

Mentel, A. 2002. Využitie štatistických metód v etnografii. In Slovenský národopis / Slovak Ethnology, vol. 50, no.1, pp. 5-24. 1339-9357.

APA:

Mentel, A. (2002). Využitie štatistických metód v etnografii. Slovenský národopis / Slovak Ethnology, 50(1), 5-24. 1339-9357.