1.2.2

Positivism & Interpretivism

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Positivism and Interpretivism

Sociologists fall broadly into two groups depending on what they think the best way to study society is; positivist or interpretivist. These viewpoints will then impact on their choice of research method

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Positivism

  • Positivism refers to the belief that there are ‘social facts’ that can be studied objectively using methods that are similar to the natural sciences (e.g. physics, chemistry and biology).
  • Positivist methods produce quantitative data on social patterns and trends which can be used to explain society.
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Research methods

  • Positivist research methods include:
    • Laboratory experiments.
    • The comparative method.
    • Social surveys.
    • Structured questionnaires.
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Research methods cont.

  • Positivist research methods include:
    • Formal/structured interviews.
    • Non-participant observation.
    • Official statistics.
    • Content analysis.
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Interpretivism

  • Interpretivism implies that people are conscious of their personal beliefs, meanings, values, and interpretations, and that these influence the way they act.
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Interpretivist research

  • From an interpretivist perspective, the researcher attempts to gain an in-depth understanding of how people see and understand the world around them by putting themselves in the position of those being studied; to understand things from their point of view.
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Research methods

  • Interpretivists use qualitative methods in order to study social phenomena, including:
    • Uncontrolled field experiments.
    • Open-ended questionnaires.
    • Unstructured interviews.
    • Overt and covert participant and non-participant observation.
    • Personal accounts, using personal documents such as diaries and letters.

Jump to other topics

1Theory & Methods

2Education with Methods in Context

3Option 1: Culture & Identity

4Option 1: Families & Households

5Option 1: Health

6Option 1: Work, Poverty & Welfare

7Option 2: Beliefs in Society

8Option 2: Global Development

9Option 2: The Media

10Crime & Deviance

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