History and Sociology are two fields of study that have many similarities. In both there is a large emphasis placed on being objective when performing research. In history the ideal objective mind is one that does not bring the persons’ present bias to their studies. By present bias I mean the ideas and values of the time the researcher is currently living. If the researcher does not suspend their present bias then they will find it difficult to provide quality research. The results will always be tainted by the researchers’ judgements of the people they are studying. When researching history it is important to understand what the people of the time may have thought and believed. The world was a very different place even in the recent past. We have to remember not to judge people of the past by how people are now. I’m sure people one hundred years from now will look back and think of us as petty, stupid, and naive. It is inevitable that the present will judge the past harshly. As a historian you need to be able to realize your bias and work to prevent it from influencing your results.

In Sociology, objectivity has recently been the subject of debate. Within the last few decades sociologists have gone from attempting to be objective, to now saying objectivity is impossible. That being said, it is important to attempt to be objective when performing sociological research. With sociology you are working with the current time so present bias is not an issue. The biases that are important to watch for in sociology are biases of culture and society. Often in sociological research you are dealing with marginalized groups of people. This may mean you need to work with homeless people, people with disease, the poor, and also people of other cultures, languages and ethnic backgrounds. When dealing with minorities it is important to not judge them or place ones’ morals and beliefs upon them. There are many examples of sociologists who have been allowed to study certain groups, only to have that group change their mind because of the behavior of the sociologist.

As you can see objectivity is important in both sociology and history. When first starting Dr. Penny Light’s class she asked us to think historically. As the class went on I began to notice many similarities between thinking historically and one could say “thinking sociologically”. In both it is important to not let one’s own ideas and beliefs taint the research. We must have an open mind and not criticize the subject we are studying. Only when we suspend our bias can we begin to say the results are representative of the subject being researched.