Sociolgy as a science

Question 1

What is sociology

Answer 1

An academic discipline that involves throughly studying society and how it works

Question 2

What is science ?

Answer 2

Usually associated with the study of the natural, in an objective, empirical, testable and cumulative way

Question 3

Features of a science subjects:

Answer 3

. Measurable / Empircal
. Testable
. Theoretical
. Cumulative
. Objective

Question 4

**Interpretivist approach to sociology being a science **

Answer 4

Their main view is that sociology cannot and should not be a science

. Intepretivists believe that the study of human society must go beyond empirical and objective science
- and instead - include subjective views, opinion, emotions and values

^ things that can’t be observed or counted

Question 5

**How do intepretivists critique Positivists approach to sociology as a science **

Answer 5

When critiquing positivists, intepretivists argue that :

. When trying to prove that sociology is a science, positivists miss the truth rather than uncovering it - they try to make everything reliable and measurable

Question 6

Positivist approach on sociology being a science

Answer 6

Durkheim suicide illustrates the positivist view of science - it is the most influential on sociology

• Durkheim depicted principles that are the basis of his views

Question 7

Durkheim principles - Positivism

Answer 7

. There are objective facts about the social world and they are expressed in statistics

. these facts are not influenced by the personal beliefs of the research’s

. Having collects stats, you should look for correlations which can reveal casual relationships

. Durkheim believes human behaviour can be explained by external stimuli

. By following this approach it is possible to uncover the laws of human behaviour

. ago be scientific, you should only study what you observe - it would be unscientific to study people’s emotions

• Durkheim approach is inductive - it involves starting with the evidence and then deriving theory

Question 8

The realist approach

Answer 8

Realists mainly argue that sociology could not be a science depending on the definition of science

• Realists recognise the similarities between sociology and the natural science depending on the amount of control the researcher has over their variables

Question 9

What are the two types of system within science identified by realists ?

Answer 9

. Closed system
. Open system

Question 10

What is a closed system?

Answer 10

= Researchers are able to control and measure all the relevant variables and therefore can make predictions - similar to chemistry and physics

Question 11

What is an open system?

Answer 11

= The researcher is not able to control and measure all the variables so cannot make precise predictions due to the complex nature of the subject area - E.g. Meteorology

Question 12

Keat and Urry - Realists

Answer 12

Argue that sociology is an open system as there are often complex systems and multiple variables which the researcher cannot control

Question 13

In what ways is sociology like a science ?

Answer 13

. Ability to test hypotheses

. Use reliable methods

. Peer review before publication

Question 14

In what was is sociology not a science

Answer 14

. Science is subjective - whereas sociology is not always as the researchers values might impact research.

. Possibility of Hawthorne effect

. Unifying paradigm

Question 15

Give 2 Reasons as to why sociology is a science ~

Answer 15

. Functionalist - Positivism allows for observing patterned and regular events in society which are caused by events

. Comte - Treats social facts as scientific objects which can be measured, quantified and subjected to statistical analysis

Question 16

Give 2 Reasons as to why Sociology is NOT a science ~

Answer 16

. Intepretivism - Human beings are active, conscious beings - subject to subjectivity

. Postmodernists - Science is not rooted in objective truth