approaches to sociological research

approaches to sociological research

1. POSITIVIST

   • The positivist approaches is useing the natural sciences to investigate the social world, they want research to be objective and use quantitative data , they see trend and consequences
   • Durkheim - social factors are the things which are external actors. he says that a social system has norms and vaules that everyone follows , he sees there are causes and correlations
   • Popper - put forward a deductive apporch where the natural sciences where a one singal theory cannot be carried out in one single way
   • Gartrell and Gertrell - showed how positivist is still used in sociological research in the follow : generation of law like staments , operationalization of definitions , empiricism, use of statitcal data
   • criticism of positivism ; some argued that it cannot be studied along with the natural sciences , cannot be objective , people always bring in their own values

2. interpretivism

   • like to look at the reason for people acting in society they gain rich understanding , in the form of quliltative data , like to devlope understanding
   • Verstehen -empath is when the research places them slef in the life of the people they are studying.
   • Weber- argued that we can only understand social action by interesting the meaning the lie benth the data
   • blumer - argued that sociologist should seek to immerse themsleves in the lives of the people they are studying , as we act on basis of meaning.
   • criticisem of interpretivism - low in repsentivness , subjective and small sclae ,ignore social norms,

3. feminist methodogy

   • feminist would say that everyone has a vaules that influance their reseach. they want to combat male stream. they will also say there is a lack of consesnus
   • Reflexivity- if part of feminist methordoloy , the idea that the reseacher is constently aware of how they can effect the data they are collecting.
   • skeggs- p0ints out that having values means that the researcher can become aware of issues others cannot see.
   • reinhartz- said that feminist methordology is based around womens way of knowing which is diffrent form mens their goal is to combat male stream and bring about socal change.
   • Ramazanghulu and reinhartz - argued that there is no reason why feminist mehtordolgy cannot include quantitative data if it fits the reseach and includes the female voice.
   • criticisms- feminist resreach may be to objective of their resreach , it cannot be vuale free , skeggs says its no longer vaild.

4. realist methodolo

   • realist say that research follows the logic of the natural sceinces , they work with open and closed networks.
   • open system - an open system is looking at the mechanism that underline the resreach the take into account outside factors and how they are subject to change.
   • realists say the research cannot be vauel free , they will always link with the researcher , the research should always engage in the reseach and the vauel are subject to methord.
   • casual michansims - are the under lying patterns and trends that regulats in both the nautral scince and real world.
   • critics of realists - no vuale free, simller to other apporches, no way of testing it , open system chnage to fast.