Positivists

Question 1

Positivists

Answer 1

-Approach to researching sociology that relies on the study of ‘social facts’ in a systematic and scientific way.
-It was developed by Durkheim, among others such as August Comte.
-Positivists suggest that we can only observe behaviours and actions of people scientifically.
•Social Facts can be measured and quantified objectively - allowing other researchers to replicate research and check findings.
-Has a focus on quantitative data, objective data that is highly reliable
-Structural Theory (macro).

Question 2

Positivist Ideas

Answer 2

-Macro-perspective: looks at the bigger picture and structures of society.
-Structural forces shape the behaviour of individuals (as opposed to focusing on individual agency).
-Looks to obtain objective and quantitative data.
-Society can be studied scientifically in the same way as natural sciences.

Question 3

Positivist Strengths

Answer 3

-It can demonstrate cause and effect relationships or correlations between events.
-It produces quantitative data which is seen as more objective and scientific.
-It is preferred by governments to advise on social policy as macro-scales allow for generalizations of different groups.
-Reliability - studies can be replicated and results checked - allowing for the falsification principle to be used.

Question 4

Positivist Limits

Answer 4

-It can lack validity - e.g., it might demonstrate trends but not explain reasons behind them.
-It neglects the actions of individuals - instead focusing on structural forces rather than the agency of individuals - deterministic.
-It can be too fixed - not representing the fluidity and diversity of contemporary society.
-It does not gain an insight into the lives of individuals - instead focusing on what they do, over why they do it.

Question 5

Positivist Examples

Answer 5

-Durkheim’s study on suicide: a comparative study used to observe social facts behind differing suicide rates across Europe.
-Crime and Education Statistics: rates of offending and/or education achievement by social groups.
-Social Attitude Surveys: looking at areas such as the domestic division of labour, consumer habits, media usage, etc.
-Even the Census uses Positivist ideologies.