Research Methods 3 - Sociology A Science? Flashcards
Positivist structural view on sociology as a science?
Like being a science and believe they can from working room realities beyond the individuals and using empirical methods objectively
Comte (19th century) empirical methods should be applied to ‘science of society’
Durkheim, world exists externally to individuals and acts upon them. Therefore patterns easy to decipher from external factors e.g. under-socialisation causes crime, middle-aged single women more likely to commit suicide (Durkheim 1897)
Criticisms of positivist structural theories?
Can only assume reasons from finding data
Realist views on science?
Bhaskar (1979) and Sayer (1984) some ‘sciences’ aren’t closed systems e.g. meteorology
Keat and Urry (1982) science makes as much inference as sociology does e.g. subatomic particles and magnetic field are demonstrated but not observable
Criticisms of realists views on science?
Outdated. Bhaskar (1979) and Sayer (1984) example of meteorology has technology that may have caught up
Positivists patterns aren’t explanatory, you have to understand the meaning given to those events
Support for sociology being a science?
Sociological research often has an effect on policy
Interpretists view on sociology not being a science?
Popper, sociology cannot be a science because it can’t have a process of falsification e.g. Marx’s hypothesis on communist revolutions happening has no evidence, with some communist countries even reverting back to capitalism
Kuhn, cohesive paradigm in science, but competing explanations in sociology
Research unlikely to be objective as its humans studying humans
Science doesn’t always progress linearly e.g. inherited IQ and tripartite system, thalidomide because animal studies were ignored
Postmodernists view on science and sociology?
Science is another meta-narrative and sociology is wasting time with the debate, both perspectives have values and limitations that must be recognised
