Certain Quote by David Riesman
“A spurious democracy has influenced both our research methods (I am sometimes tempted to define "validity" as part of the context of an experiment demanding so little in the way of esoteric gift that any number can play at it, provided they have taken a certain number of courses) and our research subjects (it would be deemed snobbish to investigate only the best people).”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Lonely Crowd by David Riesman, 1950
The quote critiques how democracy can dilute research rigor and lead to studying only elite subjects, overlooking broader validity.
In simple terms: Democracy can weaken research standards and focus on elites.
Key Takeaway
Ensure rigorous standards and inclusive sampling.
Themes
research integrity
democracy
validity
elitism
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
academic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- academic studies
- policy analysis
- clinical trials
- market research
Key Concepts
methodology
sampling bias
contextual validity
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance inclusivity with methodological rigor?
- What safeguards protect validity in democratic research environments?
A Different Perspective
May overlook practical constraints of large-scale studies.
