Theoretical Perspectives in Research

?
View mindmap
  • Theoretical Perspectives In Research
    • POSITIVIST
      • society should be understood by scientific methods of research
      • macro approach
        • prefer structured & quantitative methods for predictable and formulaic patterns of behaviour
          • e.g. casual relationships, surveys,structured observations and content analysis
      • believe that there are causes of things in the natural world
        • therefore there are external forces (social facts) which make up society's structure
      • society exists interdependently to individuals- it is an external force
        • individuals are passive. e.g. law and the education system shape the behaviours of the individual
    • INTERPRETIVIST
      • people create meanings, so should study how people interpret the world
      • micro approach
        • prefer unstructured qualitative methods to interpret meanings of behaviours
          • e.g. valid, small scale, unstructured interviews & participant observation
      • society cannot exist without individuals and is a subjective reality created by individual interactions
        • society is a social construction
      • social world is shaped by unpredictable internal forces
        • individuals are active and cannot be objectively measured
    • REALIST
      • use both positivist and interpretivist
      • humans are reflexive- we create meanings and respond to emotions
      • there are trends and patterns to our behaviour which can be measured
      • links to triangulation (2 different methods for accuracy) & methodological pluralism (approaches combined for validity and reliability)
  • Untitled

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar Sociology resources:

See all Sociology resources »See all Sociological research methods resources »