THEORETICAL DEBATES - Positivism vs Interpretivism

Question 1

TRUE OR FALSE: Durkheim is a INTERPRETIVIST.

Answer 1

FALSE - Durkheim is a Positivist

Question 2

What is the definition of Social Integration?

Answer 2

The degree to which individuals were/are integrated into society.

Question 3

What is the definition of Social Regulation?

Answer 3

The degree to which society regulates (controls) an individual’s behaviour.

Question 4

What did Durkheim study in terms of Social Integration and Social Regulation?

Answer 4

He studied suicide.

Question 5

What did Durkheim believe that social laws could do?

Answer 5

He believed that social laws could be used to predict future events, and develop social policies to tackle social issues.

Question 6

Give an example that Durkheim gave of Social Integration being too strong. (Fatalistic suicide)

Answer 6

Japanese Kamikaze Pilots - Too much social integration makes an individual sacrifice their life out of a sense of duty to others.

Question 7

What did Durkheim compare in terms of Social Integration being too weak? (Egoistic suicide)

Answer 7

Data between Protestant and Catholic Christians - He argued that stronger social integration and stronger social control amongst Catholics results in lower suicide rates.

Question 8

What did Durkheim say would be caused by too little Social Regulation? (Anomic Suicide)

Answer 8

Anomie, as an individual would not be regulated by society and social change would disrupt traditional norms and values.

Question 9

Give an example that Durkheim gave of Social Regulation being too strong. (Altruistic suicide)

Answer 9

This was common amongst slaves and now prisoners.

Question 10

TRUE OR FALSE - Because Durkheim was a Positivist, his research would be SUBJECTIVE.

Answer 10

FALSE - Because Durkheim was a Positivist, his research would be OBJECTIVE; his work is more impartial, unbiased and has a higher reliability.

Question 11

Why may there be some issues regarding Durkheim’s study of suicide?

Answer 11

The data he was looking at may be incorrect. For example, someone’s death may be incorrectly labelled as a suicide or not labelled as a suicide at all.

Question 12

TRUE OR FALSE - The Positivist approach is MORE SCIENTIFIC than the Interpretivist approach.

Answer 12

TRUE!

Question 13

What German sociology term linked with Interpretivism means ‘to understand’?

Answer 13

Verstehen

Question 14

Is Validity more important to Positivists or Interpretivists?

Answer 14

Interpretivists, as they aim to seek the truth in their studies/research by using qualitative data!

Question 15

List some preferred Positivist research methods. HINT: Name as many as you can; there are 3 here!

Answer 15

Official Statistics, Content Analysis and Questionnaires.

Question 16

List some preferred Interpretivist research methods. HINT: Name as many as you can; there are 4 here!

Answer 16

Interviews, Focus Groups, Observations and Personal Documents.