Positivists

Question 1

Sociology IS a science

Answer 1

-Positivist
-Durkheim

Question 2

Durkheim approach

Answer 2

-objective social facts can be observed
-facts expressed in stats
-empiricist= all knowledge is based on evidence from the senses
-Causal relationships studied through stats & correlation
-impossible to identify universal laws of human nature
-inductive & verifiable

Question 3

Popper’s approach

Answer 3

-falsification= aim to prove it wrong, universal laws don’t exist as evidence can always be proven false
-rejects induction, prefers deductive approach
-deduction= deduce a theory, then from this collect evidence
-science gives us the best knowledge we can have
-social science struggles to be falsified

Question 4

Hypothetico-deductive model

Answer 4

-follows logic of experiments, making sociology scientific:
>develop theories
>identify hypotheses from the theories
>collect evidence to test theories
>refining if evidence doesn’t fit
>using revised hypotheses to test new theories
>see if theory can be falsified

Question 5

what’s the problem with popper?

Answer 5

most early sociologists who thought they were scientific wouldn’t be able to meet Popper’s demands

Question 6

Sociology as value free

Answer 6

-idea that facts shouldn’t be influenced by researcher’s beliefs is essential to science
-by saying sociology should be value free we’re saying that sociology should be scientific

Question 7

How is sociology being value free illustrated?

Answer 7

by Durkheims study of suicide- quantitative research and uncovering macro-level trends, sociologists uncover ‘laws of society’

Question 8

why should sociology be value free?

Answer 8

-sociologists are uncovering ‘objective’ laws of how social systems work
-these laws exist separately from the researcher
-sociology has impacts on social policy thus research should be value free

Question 9

what should sociology do?

Answer 9

objectively study social facts and make no implications regarding what policies should be followed

Question 10

durkheim (social policy)

Answer 10

did advocate policies which promoted social solidarity in society, e.g. reducing crime rates

Question 11

parsons (social policy)

Answer 11

supported policies which promoted the nuclear family and encouraged competition/meritocracy in education

Question 12

functionalist/ positivist impact on social policy

Answer 12

-functionalist theorising is hard to apply to social problems
-positivist statistical approach has been important as govts use it to decide between policies