Week 1 (intro and isms) Flashcards
What is objectivism?
Social phenomena exist in real life, the objective facts are out there.
Social phenomena existed before us and influences individuals. Individuals can’t influence social phenomena.
What is epistemology?
The question of how we know things
What is positivism?
There are universal laws that can be tested, social sciences are to be treated on differently than natural sciences.
What is interpretivism?
Social sciences are not the same as natural sciences, understanding human behavior is crucial. It concerns meanings rather than causality.
State all the -isms and if they belong to ontology or epistemology
Ontology:
- objectivism
- constructionalism
Epistemology:
- positivism
- interpretivism
What is constructionism?
Social phenomena are social constructions. They are shaped by people’s views on reality, how they interpret things and how they give meaning. They are also shaped by interaction between people.
What is ontology? State the mening and two main questions asked.
What can we say about being?
Is there such a thing as a (social) reality?
Is this reality related to external social actors?
Name the two forms of theories as specified by Merton
Grand theories and theories of middle range
What is a deductive theory?
The theory leads to findings.
What is a inductive theory?
Findings lead to theories.
