Positivism & Interpretivism

Question 1

Positivism

Answer 1

Belief in objective social facts that can be studied like natural sciences.

Produces quantitative data on social patterns and trends.

Question 2

Positivist methods

Answer 2

-Laboratory experiments
-Comparative method
-Social surveys
-Structured/formal interviews
-Non-participant observation
-Official statistics
-Content analysis

Question 3

Interpretivism

Answer 3

Focuses on personal beliefs, meanings, and values that influence behaviour.

Research aims to understand the world from the participant’s perspective.

Question 4

Interpretatist methods

Answer 4

-Uncontrolled field experiments
-Open-ended questionnaires
-Unstructured interviews
-Overt/covert participant or non-participant observation
-Personal accounts (diaries, letters)