U1.1

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Question: What are the two main approaches in sociology?

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Answer: The two main approaches in sociology are positivism and interpretivism.

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Question: What is the primary focus of positivist approaches in sociology?

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Answer: Positivist approaches focus on large-scale (macro) social structures and institutions.

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Question: What type of data do positivists primarily produce?

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Answer: Positivists primarily produce quantitative data, usually in the form of statistics.

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Question: Who were two early sociologists associated with positivism?

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Answer: Auguste Comte and Emile Durkheim.

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Question: What does reliability refer to in the context of positivist research?

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Answer: Reliability refers to the extent to which research findings can be confirmed if the study is repeated.

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Question: What methods do positivists prefer for conducting research?

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Answer: Positivists prefer experiments, official statistics, social surveys, and questionnaires.

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Question: What is the difference between correlation and causation in sociological research?

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Answer: Correlation is when two or more variables change at the same time, while causation is when one variable directly affects another.

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Question: What did Emile Durkheim's study on suicide illustrate about social facts?

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Answer: Durkheim's study illustrated that suicide rates are influenced by social facts and social forces rather than just individual motivations.

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Question: How do positivists analyze quantitative data?

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Answer: Positivists analyze quantitative data by looking for patterns and trends.

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Question: What is the primary focus of interpretivism in sociology?

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Answer: Interpretivism focuses on the individual and small-scale interactions rather than society as a whole.