Topic 5.3 revision notes: The
Positivist Approach – scientific
method, objectivity, reliability
and value-free
Positivism and Quantitative methods
- Positivism sees sociology as a science and therefore argues that it should be studied
using scientifical methodology
- Auguste Comte (1798-1857)
o the use of scientific methods would produce a science of society which would
reveal the invariable laws that governed the evolution of human society
o he insisted that only directly observable ‘facts’ were acceptable and ruled out
anything that cannot be directly observed such as meaning
o Just like in the natural world matters behaviour is shaped by external stimuli
such as temperature and pressure, human behaviour is shaped by external
stimuli such as the economy or political system and therefore the same
methodology appropriate for the natural science is appropriate for sociology
– Structural approach to society
o Behaviour must be measured in form of numbers and these measurements
must be objective – unbiased and value free; therefore their preferred
methods are quantitative
o Statistical analysis of quantitative data can be used to discover correlations
between social facts thus allowing theories to be developed explaining these
correlations
- Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) The Rules of Sociological Method
o He believed sociologists must consider social facts (norms, values and
institutions) as real things just like material objects that can be quantified,
objectively measured and statistically analysed
o He accepted that social facts form part of our consciousness but that social
facts also exist externally to members of society and that members do not
just act out of their own psychology and personal beliefs but are constrained
to act by social facts above and beyond individuals in wider society
o Research Example: Durkheim’s Study of suicide – believed that this research
on suicide using quantified secondary data proved that scientific
methodology was appropriate for the study of society
Positivist Approach – scientific
method, objectivity, reliability
and value-free
Positivism and Quantitative methods
- Positivism sees sociology as a science and therefore argues that it should be studied
using scientifical methodology
- Auguste Comte (1798-1857)
o the use of scientific methods would produce a science of society which would
reveal the invariable laws that governed the evolution of human society
o he insisted that only directly observable ‘facts’ were acceptable and ruled out
anything that cannot be directly observed such as meaning
o Just like in the natural world matters behaviour is shaped by external stimuli
such as temperature and pressure, human behaviour is shaped by external
stimuli such as the economy or political system and therefore the same
methodology appropriate for the natural science is appropriate for sociology
– Structural approach to society
o Behaviour must be measured in form of numbers and these measurements
must be objective – unbiased and value free; therefore their preferred
methods are quantitative
o Statistical analysis of quantitative data can be used to discover correlations
between social facts thus allowing theories to be developed explaining these
correlations
- Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) The Rules of Sociological Method
o He believed sociologists must consider social facts (norms, values and
institutions) as real things just like material objects that can be quantified,
objectively measured and statistically analysed
o He accepted that social facts form part of our consciousness but that social
facts also exist externally to members of society and that members do not
just act out of their own psychology and personal beliefs but are constrained
to act by social facts above and beyond individuals in wider society
o Research Example: Durkheim’s Study of suicide – believed that this research
on suicide using quantified secondary data proved that scientific
methodology was appropriate for the study of society
