Positivism & Interpretivism

Question 1

positivism - durkheim

Answer 1

society can be studied using scientific techniques

Question 2

positivism - social facts

Answer 2

external social causes that make a society’s social structure and moulds people’s behaviour
e.g. law, family, media

Question 3

positivism - structural theories

Answer 3

society acts as a constraint on individuals

Question 4

positivism - why do they use quantification?

Answer 4

provides evidence
replicable
make generalisations
establish causes of social events

Question 5

positivism - which data and approach is used?

Answer 5

quantitative data

macro approach

Question 6

interpretivism - what influences peoples behaviour?

Answer 6

peoples interpretations and meanings in social situations

Question 7

interpretivism - verstehen

Answer 7

understanding human behaviour from the point of view of individuals

Question 8

interpretivism - interpretivist theories

Answer 8

individuals play an active role in creating society

Question 9

interpretivism - which data and approach is used?

Answer 9

qualitative data
micro approach
statistics are social construction