An Investigation of the Effect of Normative Systems on an Empirical Variable Page: 1

                                
Sizemore, Hark T., An Investigation of the Effect of
Normative Systems on an Empirical Variable, Master of Arts
(Sociology), December, 1971  5^-PP« > 2 tables, bibliography,
40 titles.
This investigation is concerned, with the problem of
the normative constraints upon scientific research within
the broad theoretical framework of the sociology of know-
ledge, i.e., the contention that knowledge is functionally
related to the social system. The concepts "knowledge"
and "Social system" are open to wide interpretation;
however., in this study knowledge refers to an empirically
verifiable variable and the social system is synonomcus
with the normative system.
In epidemiological study of cervical cancer was selected
to examine the relationship between knowledge and the
social system. Epidemiology in the area of cervical cancer
has shown this cancer to be variable with respect to racial
and ethnic groups, socio-economic class, and geographic
region of residence, however, recent investigation has
indicated an important positive association between cervical
cancer arid several coital variables. The variable of
greatest discrimination with respect to increased cervical
cancer risk is early age at first coitus. This association
was suggested in 184-2 by an Italian physician who noted
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