SociologyFactsheet
(I)
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Number 52
Positivism -v- Interpretivism
What
is Positivism
and
Interpretivism?
Positivism
The view that
Sociology
should be studied in a scientific manner.
Positivists
believe
that the social
world (as the natural
world)
is
made up of facts
which can
be studied
like the natural
world.
It
is the
search
for
laws
of
social
behaviour
using
the
logic
and
methods
of
the
natural
sciences.
Positivists
argue
that
by
applying
scientific
principles
of research
to the study of society,
Sociologists
will
be
able
to
put
forward
proposals
for
social
change
which
will
lead to a better
society.
Interpretivism
(also
known
as
anti-positivists
or
phenomenologists)
Interpretivists
believe
that society
cannot
be treated as a science.
They
stress
the
ability
of
individuals
to
exercise
control
and
choices
over
their
actions
and
because
everyone
is
different
with different views and attitudes it is not possible to use scientific
methodology
to
study
society.
Scientific
approaches
are
not
suitable
for the study
of society
because
the social
world differs
to the
natural
world.
Both
methods
and
theory
influence
Sociological
research
Why
is Positivism
and
Interpretivism
important?
Because
sociologists
have
different
ideas
and
different
theories
about
how
society
should
be studied,
this
will
influence
what
they
study, the methods
they use to study
it, what data
is collected,
how
the
data
is
interpreted
and
what
conclusions
are
drawn
from
the
study.
There
is
often
debate
about
whether
the
methodological
approach
influences
the
theoretical
approach
or
vice
versa.
The
diagrams
below
shows
how
the
process
works
and
how
there
are
arguably
two
different
starting
points.
So
what
is
the
difference
between
theory
and
method?
•
Theories
are
ideas
that
sociologists
come
up
with,
ways
of
thinking
about
society.
•
Methods
are
the
ways
sociologists
go
about
collecting
the
evidence/ideas
to create
or
to
back-up
theories.
•
Both
are important
-
Theory
with no methods
means
that
ideas
have not been
tested.
Methods
with
no theory
behind
them
means
that
data
is being
collected
with
no
purpose.
•
More
recently,
sociologists
have
become
less
concerned
with
having
a single approach
to social
research.
It has become
more
common
for sociologists
to gather
a combination
of quantitative
and
qualitative
data.
DiagramA: Theory determines methodology
Sociologists
have
different
views
on
society
and
the
processes
that
occur
within
society.
Sociologists
have
different
approaches
in their
research
J.
Different
ways
of
collecting
data
-
questionnaires,
interviews,
etc.
Different
types
of
data
collected
-
quantitative/qualitative
Requires
different
ways
of
analysing
the results.
1.
Different
results
can
be
found
on
the same
subject.
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- Fall '14
- Stacey Blecker
- Sociology, Interpretivism
