Sociology Class 8: Methodological Debates
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Questions and Answers

What is the primary purpose of scientific research in sociology according to positivism?

  • To discover objective laws of social behaviour based on the scientific method (correct)
  • To understand social phenomena through personal experiences
  • To develop a qualitative understanding of human societies
  • To critique societal structures and promote social change

    • What type of research method is typically used to apply a natural science model of explanation in sociology?

  • Quantitative research method (correct)
  • Mixed-methods research approach
  • Ethnographic research method
  • Qualitative research method

    • According to positivism, how is the social world viewed?

  • As an objective, predictable system (correct)
  • As a subjective, dynamic system
  • As a complex, interconnected system
  • As a chaotic, unpredictable system

    • What is a criticism of positivism in terms of knowledge production?

    <p>It imposes a non-participatory form of knowledge</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic of positivist research methods?

    <p>Defining and categorizing through natural science methods</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is an example of a positivist research method?

    <p>Survey research on social behaviour</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the key analogy used to describe how societies evolve?

    <p>Organic</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who is associated with the development of structural functionalism?

    <p>Talcott Parsons</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the name of the philosophical and sociological movement that emphasizes the use of scientific methods to study social phenomenon?

    <p>Positivism</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who is known for his critique of positivism?

    <p>Theodor Adorno</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which sociologist is associated with the development of the concept of 'classical sociology' in the tradition of Durkheim?

    <p>Emile Durkheim</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is not a generation of sociologists mentioned in the text?

    <p>Fourth generation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the underlying assumption of positivism in the context of social sciences?

    <p>Human society can be best understood through uncovering its underlying structure.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following research methods is most closely associated with positivism?

    <p>Experiment</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary focus of structural-functionalist evolutionism?

    <p>Analyzing the underlying structures that shape human society</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements is a critique of positivism?

    <p>Social structures are inherently oppressive and must be challenged.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary difference between positivism and critique?

    <p>Positivism is concerned with understanding social phenomena, while critique is concerned with challenging social injustice.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to structural-functionalist evolutionism, what determines the position of each element in a social system?

    <p>The underlying structure of the system</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The primary focus of structural-functionalist evolutionism is on understanding the underlying structure of a social system.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Positivism is a methodological approach that emphasizes the importance of critique in understanding social phenomena.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to structural-functionalist evolutionism, social functions are the underlying structures that determine the position of each element in a social system.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Human society can be best understood by uncovering the underlying structures that shape social behavior.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Positivism and critique are mutually exclusive approaches to understanding social phenomena.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    All human societies are made up of social functions, including social roles and norms, traditions, and institutions.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In positivist research, correlation always implies causation between two variables.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    A concept in research is a category or classification that can take on different values.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Positivist research methods always involve the use of qualitative research methods.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In positivist research, the independent variable is the effect, and the dependent variable is the cause.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Positivist sociological research only uses quantitative research methods.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    A pilot-interview is a type of quantitative research method.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In positivist research methods, the human is viewed as a subjective object of study.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Ethnographic research is a type of qualitative research method that involves participation and observation.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Social theory provides a theoretical framework that explains why society or some aspects of it functions as it does, based on empirical evidence.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Positivist research methods always involve a non-positivist understanding of what constitutes a scientific truth claim.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Participatory observation is a type of research method that is exclusively used in positivist research.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Qualitative research methods often follow the model of the natural sciences, using the scientific method to establish valid truth claims.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary distinction between positivist research methods and ethnographic research in sociology?

    <p>Positivist research methods rely on numerical and statistical data, whereas ethnographic research involves participation and observation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does positivist sociology view the social world, and what implications does this have for research methods?

    <p>Positivist sociology views the social world as objective, similar to the natural world, and this leads to the application of natural science methods to study human societies.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary goal of social theory in sociology, and how does it relate to explanatory theory?

    <p>The primary goal of social theory is to provide a theoretical framework that explains why society or some aspects of it functions as it does, based on empirical evidence, and it relates to explanatory theory by seeking to understand the underlying mechanisms and structures that shape social behavior.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does participatory observation differ from other research methods in sociology, and what are its key characteristics?

    <p>Participatory observation involves the researcher's immersion and active participation in the social setting being studied, and its key characteristics include a non-participatory form of knowledge and the absence of experience as a problem.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary criticism of positivist sociology in terms of knowledge production, and how does it relate to the concept of critique?

    <p>The primary criticism of positivist sociology is that it imposes a non-participatory form of knowledge, and this relates to the concept of critique by highlighting the importance of critical reflection and alternative approaches to understanding social phenomena.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the key distinction between positivist and non-positivist understandings of what constitutes a scientific truth claim in sociology?

    <p>Positivist sociology views scientific truth claims as based on objective laws and natural science methods, whereas non-positivist approaches emphasize the importance of critique, reflection, and alternative forms of knowledge production.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does positivist sociology approach the study of human society, and what are the underlying assumptions of this approach?

    <p>Positivist sociology approaches the study of human society through the application of scientific methods, assuming that social phenomena can be studied objectively and measured. This approach assumes that social laws and patterns can be discovered through empirical observation and experimentation, just like in natural sciences.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary focus of ethnographic research, and how does it differ from other qualitative research methods?

    <p>The primary focus of ethnographic research is to study people's behaviors, beliefs, and practices in their natural environments, often involving long-term participant observation. It differs from other qualitative research methods in its immersive and participatory nature.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary difference between social theory and explanatory theory in sociology?

    <p>Social theory provides a theoretical framework that explains why society or some aspects of it functions as it does, based on empirical evidence. Explanatory theory, on the other hand, focuses on explaining specific social phenomena or events.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does participatory observation differ from other qualitative research methods, and what are its key characteristics?

    <p>Participatory observation involves the researcher's active participation in the social setting being studied, often using ethnographic methods to gather data. It differs from other qualitative research methods in its immersive and interactive nature.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the underlying assumption of positivist research methods in the context of social sciences?

    <p>The underlying assumption of positivist research methods is that social phenomena can be studied objectively, and that social laws and patterns can be discovered through empirical observation and experimentation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary focus of structural-functionalist evolutionism, and how does it relate to the concept of social functions?

    <p>The primary focus of structural-functionalist evolutionism is on understanding the underlying structure of a social system, with social functions being the underlying structures that determine the position of each element in a social system.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary focus of structural-functionalist evolutionism in understanding human societies?

    <p>to uncover the underlying structures that shape social behavior</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of structure in structural-functionalist evolutionism?

    <p>to determine the position of each element in a social system</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the relationship between positivism and critique in sociology?

    <p>they are different approaches to understanding social phenomena, with overlap between structural-functionalist evolutionism and radical socialism</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of social functions in structural-functionalist evolutionism?

    <p>they are the underlying structures that shape social behavior</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the goal of social theory in understanding human societies?

    <p>to explain why society or some aspects of it function as they do, based on empirical evidence</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the difference between positivist and non-positivist research methods?

    <p>positivist methods emphasize empirical evidence and quantitative data, while non-positivist methods focus on qualitative data and subjective experience</p> Signup and view all the answers

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