Positivist approach essay

Positivist approach essay

1. Postivists

   • Advocate scientific approach
   • Macro approach - study society as a whole or in big groups
   • Believe can isolate variables - look for patterns (cause and effect)
   • Aim to find universal social truths
   • Structured objective methods - objective criteria used
     • Structured interviews, questionnaires, statistical analysis
   • Free from bias
   • Reliable = same method + same group = same results
   • Durkheim
     • suicide study - the MOST subjective act was studied objectively + scientifically

2. Interpretivists argue!

   • Studying society scientificslly is INNAPROPRIATE
   • Society CANNOT be studied scientifically
   • We are NOT puppets on a string - we have different experiences + are all individuals
     • We CANNOT be studied by numbers
   • Qualitative research methods
   • Want to gain insight of unique experience of people
   • Methods unstructured: interviews, observations, open-ended questionnaires
   • Want natural behaviour
   • Highly valid
   • Micro approach - studies small groups and individuals

3. Realism

   • Studying society + studying science is not that different
     • Both study the unobservable, science is not always physical - scientists not always objective (Lynch rats)
   • Suggest we need both I + P's theories