Interpretivism Flashcards
What is interpretivism
An approach to social research which aims to understand the meanings of experience to individuals
What do interpretivists believe about society?
Society is socially constructed and the product of:
- people choosing to come together to interact
- people share the same sense of what is going on
What do interpretivists believe about decision making?
People have free will to exercise choice and make their own decisions- behaviour is NOT shaped by social facts
What did Weber discover?
He said people are active and should not be treated like objects/controlled by social forces
What is empathy?
Using imagination to experiences what another person has experienced to share their feelings and point of view
What is verstehen?
Empathetic understanding
What is rapport?
A type of relationship, characterised by trust
What is qualitative data?
Data in written form (focus on quality)
What are some examples of qualitative data?
- Participant observation (primary)
- Unstructured interviews (primary)
- Diaries/letters (secondary)
