Positivism & Interpretivism Flashcards
Theorectical Ideas
Ideas in Essays
theoretical povs of the meth - what do positivists/ interps think
Theoretical Considerations in Choice of Research
refers to whether research is theoretically reliable & valid & researchers attitudes to what type of data & methods yield the best results
Positivism
Theoretical Perspective
want to uncover general laws about behav using scientific quantative methods to study large nums of ppl in a reliable rep way
Interpretivism
Theoretical Perspective
want to really understand & empth e/ indu ppls expers gaining in depth insights into their lives using qualitative methods for better rapports & greater validity
Positivism
1
view socio should use meths of nat scis - doesn’t mean using expers = ethical probs - should use quan meths & aim to iden & measure soc strucs - example = D - suicide study
Positivism
2
quan meths - soc surveys, struc questionaires & offic stats = good reliability & rep
see soc as shaping the indu & believe soc facts shape indu action
trad stresses NBance of quan research - large scale surveys to get overview of soc & uncover soc trends - rela between edu ach & soc class - m interested in trends & patterns X indu
Social Facts
concepts & institutions in soc that are obj & sci verfiable
Durkheim’s Study of Suicide
comp the incidence of various soc factors w/ num of cases of suicide
did close analysis of available off stats - showed varied: from one country to another - rapid soc change = higher rates, between dif soc groups - div = higher rates than mar, between relig groups - prots higher than caths
= rela stable for each group in rela to each other = entirely indu - untouched by soc factors
Durkheim’s Study of Suicide Conclusion
suicide rates inc when = too little/much soc regulation/intergration
Social Regulation
the extent to which there are clear norms & values in a soc
Social Intergration
extent to which ppl belong to soc
Anomic
Durkheim’s 4 Types of Suicide
due to breakdown of soc equlibrium, bankruptcy, loss of job & family
Altruistic
Durkheim’s 4 Types of Suicide
results from over intergration of indu into soc proof removing them self for the betterment of immediate fam/ soc group
Fatalistic
Durkheim’s 4 Types of Suicide
soc sets an expec that burdensome ppl should remove themselves
Egoistic
Durkheim’s 4 Types of Suicide
soc isolation leads a man to destroy himself
Evaluation of Positivism
treats indu as passive & unthinking - humans are less predictable than P’s suggest
I’s argue ppl’s subj realities are complex & this demands indepth qual meths
stats P’s use to find laws of soc may be invalid bc of bias in way are collected
by remaining detached - get v shallow understanding of human behav
Key Features of Interpretivism
soc & soc strucs = soc construc creations of indus
emph free will/volun of indus
micro approach to research
behav is driven by beliefs meanings feelings and emotions
uses qual meths
accepts that interp of actions = subj
Subjectivity
form of bias & also indu = op of obj
Social Construct
exists not in obj reality but as a result of human interaction - exists bc humans agree it exists
soc construc theory says humans create constructs to make sense of obj world
struc what see into categories
Interpretivism
1
argue study of human soc must go beyond empirical & supposedly obj evidence to include subj views, opinions, emotions, values - can’t be directly observed & counted - require interpretations
would argue research can’t really estab soc facts - soc about subj values & interps & can’t be understood through facts
Interpretivism
2
soc can’t be treated as a science
indus have ability to exercise control & choices over actions - everyone = dif w/ dif views & attitudes = not pos to use sci meth to study soc
sci approach not suitable for study of soc bc the soc world differs to natural world ppl X chemicals/forces - behave dif & = m complex
Ethnomethodology
argues soc reality = construct of its mems we create reality using a stock of taken for granted common sense knowledge - socios job is to uncover what know is & how can be used to make sense of world
Interpretivism Example Research
Atkinson - uses ethnomethodology - agrees w/ Douglas that off stats = labels that coroners give to deaths but disagress that using qual data allows to get behind these labels to find the deceased’s real meanings - from this can discover real rate of suicide = only interps by officials can study construction
Interpretivism Example Continued
A then focusses on how coroners categorise deaths - quali meths inclu convos w/ coroners, obvs of inquests & exams of court records
concl coroners have common sense theory about typical suicide - what kind of person commits suicide, reaso & what = typical mode/place of death - if case fits then categorised
