P1 Research Methods - Positivism + Interpretivism

Question 1

What are the key ideas of positivism?

Answer 1

• That structural forces shape the behaviour of individuals
• It looks at the bigger picture (macro perspective)
• Looks to obtain objective and quantitative data
• Society can be studied scientifically in the same way as natural sciences

Question 2

What are positivists methods?

Answer 2

Experiments
- Lab or controlled
- Field
Comparative method
- Comparing official statistics across time, location, social groups
Surveys
- Close questionnaires
- Structured interviews
Non - participant observation

Question 3

What are strengths of positivist methods?

Answer 3

1. Can demonstrate cause and effect relationships or correlations between events
2. Produce quantitative data which is seen as more objective and scientific
3. Preferred by governments to advise on social policy as macro scale allows for generalisation of different groups
4. Reliability - it can be replicated and results checked (falsification principle)

Question 4

What are limitations of positivist methods?

Answer 4

1. Can lack validity - might demonstrate trends but not explain why
2. Neglects the actions of individuals - focused on structural forces rather than the agency of individuals
3. Too fixed - may not reflect the fluidity and diversity in contemporary society
4. Does not gain an insight into the lives of individuals - focuses on what they do, not why they do it

Question 5

Examples of positivist research:

Answer 5

1. Durkheim (suicide)
   Comparative methods used to observe social facts (causes) behind differences in suicide rates across European countries
2. Crime and Education Statistics
   Rates of offending, educational achievements by social groups
3. Social attitude surveys
   Domestic, division of labour, consumer habits, media usage.

Question 6

What are the key ideas of interpretivism?

Answer 6

• Society is constructed of individuals who have free will
• Looks at individual meanings (micro sociology)
• Looks to obtain qualitative data and is more subjective
• Individuals are unique in their interpretations of events and cannot be studied scientifically

Question 7

What are interpretevist methods?

Answer 7

Observations
- Participant
- Non participant
Secondary sources
- Personal documents, historical documents, journals, diaries, media reports
Surveys
- Open questionnaires
- Unstructured interviews

Question 8

What are strengths of interpretivist methods?

Answer 8

1. Higher in validity than positivist methods as they uncover meanings and motivations of people’s actions
2. Produce qualitative data which reveals hidden meanings
3. Championing “underdog” in society, giving voice to those unheard
4. Gains an insight into hard to reach groups

Question 9

What are limitations of interpretivist methods?

Answer 9

1. Difficult to replicate methods - loses reliability
2. Can be overly influenced by researchers interpretations of actions - lacks objectivity
3. Small - scale nature of methods means unable to generalise to wider population
4. Seen as unscientific - difficult to falsify the conclusions of research

Question 10

Examples of interpretivist research:

Answer 10

1. Willis - Learning to Labour:
   Interpretivist methodology to investigate working class boys experience at schools
2. Jock Young:
   Research into marijuana users in Notting Hill
3. Pupil and Teachers Interactions:
   Fuller, Mac an Ghaill, Archer and others used interpretivist methods