positivism

Question 1

key assumtions

Answer 1

natural laws
social forces
laws determined by society we live in
behaviour can be observed, counted and measured
structural forces most important factors in determining how individuals behave - structuralists
society is more important than individuals

Question 2

which perspectives follow positivism

Answer 2

marxists and functionalists

Question 3

key concepts

Answer 3

patterns and trends
objectivity
value freedom
quantitative data
reliability

Question 4

patterns and trends

Answer 4

human behaviour = predictable - positivists take Macro approach to study of society - examining relationships between diff parts of social structure to work out behaviour of people

Question 5

objectivity

Answer 5

facts - not opinions

Question 6

value freedom

Answer 6

sociologist should be neutral - not allow their personal values to bias research or interpretation of the data

Question 7

quantitative data

Answer 7

prefer numerical data - quantified to draw conclusions

Question 8

reliability

Answer 8

in order for research to be scientific - needs to be replicable

Question 9

positivist research preferences

Answer 9

large scale
quantitative data
repilacable methodology
researcher removed from participants

Question 10

strengths of positivism

Answer 10

objective and value free

replication of methods

quantitative methods allow for identification of patterns and trends

large scale methods so representative and generalise possible

Question 11

weaknesses of positivism

Answer 11

subjective experiences of individuals should not be ignored - it is not valid to do so

lacks verstehen - don’t understand how p’s feel - cant see the world through their eyes

impossible to be objective and value free

no rapport so may not be valid - p may not feel comfortable or act naturally