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PurposeThis work examines assumptions of positivism and the traditional scientific method.Design/methodology/approachInsights from quantum mechanics are explored especially as they relate to method, measurement and what is knowable. An argument is made that how social scientists, particularly sociologists, understand the nature of "reality out there" and describe the social world may be challenged by quantum ideas. The benefits of utilized mixed methods, considering quantum insights, cannot be overstated.FindingsIt is the proposition of this work that insights from modern physics alter the understanding of the world "out there." Wheeler suggested that the most profound implication from modern physics is that "there is no out there" (1982; see also Baggott, 1992). Grappling with how modern physics may alter understanding in the social sciences will be difficult; however, that does not mean the task should not be undertaken (see Goswami, 1993). A starting point for the social sciences may be relinquishing an old mechanistic science that depends on the establishment of an objective, empirically based, verifiable reality. Mechanistic science demands "one true reality – a clear-cut reality on which everyone can agree…. Mechanistic science is by definition reductionistic…it has had to try to reduce complexity to oversimplification and process to statis. This creates an illusionary world…that has little or nothing to do with the complexity of the process of the reality of creation as we know, experience, and participate in it" (Goswami, 1993, pp. 64, 66).Research limitations/implicationsMany physicists have popularized quantum ideas for others interested in contemplating the implications of modern physics. Because of the difficulty in conceiving of quantum ideas, the meaning of the quantum in popular culture is far removed from the parent discipline. Thus, the culture has been shaped by the rhetoric and ideas surrounding the basic quantum mathematical formulas. And, over time, as quantum ideas have come to be part of the popular culture, even the link to the popularized literature in physics is lost. Rather, quantum ideas may be viewed as cultural formations that take on a life of their own.Practical implicationsThe work allows a critique of positivist method and provides insight on how to frame qualitative methodology in a new way.Social implicationsThe work utilizes popularized ideas in quantum theory: the preeminent theory that describes all matter. Little work in sociology utilizes this perspective in understanding research methods.Originality/valueQuantum insights have rarely been explored in highlighting limitations in positivism. The current work aims to build on quantum insights and how these may help us better understand the social world around us.

Various survey data are used to examine the relationship between sex & voting behavior in the US. Since 1964, more women than men have gone to the polls to vote for US Presidents. In 1964, Fs cast 1.75 million more votes than men, a margin that doubled by 1972. While Fs exhibit an increasing tendency to vote, particularly those who are educated, employed, & black, the US electorate as a whole has voted at a lower rate in presidential elections since 1964. Fs outnumbered Ms in the population; projections for the year 2000 indicate that there will be 9 million more Fs than Ms over the age of 18 in the US. These trends make the attitudes of women voters particularly significant in forecasting future directions in US policy. Sex differences in voting behavior, particularly changes in rates of political participation, are analyzed. An argument is made that the women's vote could emerge as a bloc around issues related to war & peace, & to aggression in general. Sex differences in approval for Ronald Reagan's administration are examined, utilizing 1981 Gallup poll data. 17 References. Modified AA.

Humor is a foundational element of culture and can have both positive and negative effects within a group or society. One such group with its own well-defined culture is the United States military. Sexual assault has been highlighted of late as a major challenge facing military leadership, policymakers, and military personnel themselves. This study is a content analysis that examines 35 internet memes taken from a Google search of military memes and identifies emergent themes. Four thematic units were identified within the sample. The results indicate possible focal points for the future construction of education programs geared toward military sexual assault and harassment training, as well as a jumping off point for future research concerning military workplace culture and sexual assault.

This work rests on responses from 219 male sexual assault and rape victims who self-reported their victimization in the 1994-1996 Violence and Threats of Violence Against Women and Men in the United States survey . The authors expected that men who reported being severely assaulted would be more likely than others to seek counseling. They defined severely assaulted as having been penetrated, assaulted with a weapon, threatened, self-reported sustaining physical injuries, sought medical care, and/or reported the assault to the police. However, in their logistic model that explores who sought counseling, only one variable was significant. The odds of seeking counseling for men who reported being penetrated had significantly lower odds of seeking counseling all else equal.

Our aim in this work is to: (1) determine how distinct the program structure and curriculum content for graduate education in Criminology was compared to Criminal Justice; and (2) evaluate whether the diversity or consistency of the curriculum in either field varied depending of what type of department was offering the degree. Differences in department titles, hours required for the M.A. degree, program descriptions, curriculum content and curriculum content by department type between M.A. programs in Criminology and Criminal Justice were examined. The results suggested there is both consistency and difference in program structure and in curriculum content across the two fields of study.

The authors examine the rise of the two‐year college and changes in enrollment patterns between two‐year and four‐year colleges by sex in the United States and Japan since 1960. Notably, the chances of a woman who attended college of entering a four‐year college were less in 1980, in both the U. S. and Japan, than they were in 1960. Channeling large numbers of women into two‐year colleges perpetuates occupational sex segregation. Further, it alleviates pressure for competition for professional jobs. The desire to reduce the number of individuals competing for professional jobs was a factor in the build‐up of the two‐year college. Problems associated with overeducation are evident in both the U. S. and Japan. The authors argue that the function of the community college is to prepare students to enter the kinds of jobs that are available in highly industrialized societies.