Mode Of Inquiry

In this class we have learned about the three modes of inquiry that social scientists use to investigate law. In the article “Effects of new smoking regulations in Italy,” Gallus et al use the multivariate inquiry to show how smoking bans and new smoking regulation effect the public’s attitude and opinion towards these new regulations and how it influenced smokers’ cigarette consumption. In 2005, the Italian government banned smoking in all indoor public places. Gallus et al study examines the effects of the new smoking regulations in Italy. Three types of data that is reviewed in their study are: a survey on attitudes towards smoking regulation, a population-based survey that compares smoking consumption on a national level, and data collected

The multivariate mode of inquiry uses theory to derive hypotheses that can be tested against empirical data. In this study we can see the empirical data as variables: public support of the smoking ban, cigarette sales and smoking consumption used to test the effects in Italy being used to see if the new smoking ban and regulations are being effective on the public. This hypothesis has been tested and showed results. The strengths of this research are that it is able to use legal and social variables to find the outcome of the smoking ban. In addition to this, these variables, a survey and sales of cigarettes, hold across time and place. A weakness of this research is that it does not look at the data in longer periods of time, which can help us see if there were other events or causes to the approval of the smoking ban and the decrease in smokers’ consumption. In reading Campbell and Ross’s “The Connecticut Crack down on Speeding,” they shared five factors that can threat the validity of a study: history, testing, maturation, regression and instability (Lecture, 2018). This study doesn’t observe maturation or test other things that can attribute to the increase in support of the smoking ban and the reduction of tobacco purchases. This study also lacks a control group, which could have been neighboring countries to compare with Italy. However, in just focusing on one country,

In an interpretive research, it tries to make sense of how people make sense of the world. It tries to answer the question, “how is meaning constructed in interaction and behavior?” meaning-oriented that involves subjectivity and participants (Lecture, 2018). If this multivariate research was an interpretive research, we would be able to learn sensitizing concepts and be able to see other factors (cultural, economic, political, etc,) effect the smoking ban and individuals. In looking at other factors other than legal, we can see how environmental factors influence the effects of the smoking ban. In a historical research, it tries to answer the question “what processes lead to events?”. If this multi-variate research was a historical research, we would be able to view longer periods of time and events that may have contributed to the support of this smoking ban. We can also use theory, to build upon this research and describe the sequences of events and processes of the legislation that led to the smoking ban and regulation. Using a historical research can also explain why the smoking ban occurred and why it can be argued as