Sociology Approaches to Science

What is the most famous approach to sociology, according to the text?

Which social science is not considered a natural science?

What is the difference between "basic" and "applied" research?

What is the term used to describe the set of assumptions and beliefs that affect how we understand things?

Who is considered a key figure in early positivism?

According to positivism, what is the primary aim of science?

Which of the following research methods are likely to be used by positivist sociologists?

What is the name of the method of questioning that is used to explore a topic in depth?

Approaches to Science in Sociology

Sociologists use various approaches to study social phenomena
There's no single agreement on the nature of science in sociology
Three main approaches are considered scientific: Positivist, Interpretive (or interactionist), and Critical (or conflict)

Paradigms

These approaches are paradigms
A paradigm is a set of assumptions and beliefs that shape how people understand things
Paradigms often contain unstated assumptions that researchers take for granted

The most famous approach
Rooted in the work of Auguste Comte (1798-1857) and others
Comte coined the terms sociology and altruism
Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) is another key figure in early positivism
Positivist sociologists today often use experiments, surveys, and statistics
This is known as a "quantitative" approach
Positivists believe that the methods of the natural sciences (e.g., physics, chemistry, biology) should be applied to the social sciences
Positivists aim to discover the natural laws governing social phenomena
They seek to establish general principles that can be applied to large groups of people (e.g., domestic violence)
They often derive predictions or hypotheses to test these laws
"Basic" research focuses on explaining things, while "applied" research focuses on solving problems

In-Class Exercise

The class is asked to develop a general principle to explain domestic violence, and a derived prediction of this principle that can be tested.

Explore the different scientific approaches in sociology, including Positivist, Interpretive, and Critical paradigms. Understand how these paradigms shape sociological research and the underlying assumptions they entail. Delve into the methodologies used by positivist sociologists and their connection to natural sciences.