Positivism

Question 1

What do positivists attempt to find?

Answer 1

Universal laws that explains behaviour in humans.

Question 2

They believe researchers should use what method to get what type of data?

Answer 2

Scientific methods to give them quantitative data

Question 3

Why do positivists want their methods to be reliable?

Answer 3

So that they can test out their hypothesis time and time again and get the same results meaning that they can establish a law.

Question 4

Positivists want their data to be what?

Answer 4

Representative so that they can create universal laws.

Question 5

Positivism are what type of approach?

Answer 5

Structural approach as they believe society shapes an individual.

Question 6

What are some examples of structured research methods that they like?

Answer 6

-official statistics
-structured interviews
-surveys

Question 7

What are some criticisms of positivism?

Answer 7

-qualitative researcher claim that positivists’s methods oversimplified complex and social realities
-focuses too much on the causation and correlation without understanding deeper meanings