Individuals are constrained/moulded by and react to external social forces and social structures that exist outside of them and cause their behaviour. The job of sociologists is to examine and measure these social structural constraints, involving a macro level or large scale approach

• POSITIVISM

• INTERPRETIVISM

Study the interaction between individuals in small groups to discover the meanings and motivations behind their actions and how these are created in the process of interaction

• POSITIVISM

• INTERPRETIVISM

Structural theories adopt a macro approach, studying the role of social institutions/social structures like the family, education, law, religion, the media and the economy in shaping and moulding behaviour

• POSITIVISM

• INTERPRETIVISM

Sociology can and should study society using similar methods and procedures to those used in the natural sciences

• POSITIVISM

• INTERPRETIVISM

Individuals have free will and choice. They actively construct society through their social action, driven by the meanings and interpretation they give to their own behaviour and that of others

• POSITIVISM

• INTERPRETIVISM

The job of sociology is to understand meanings and interpretations, involving a micro or small scale approach

• POSITIVISM

• INTERPRETIVISM

Enables a discovery of causes of human behaviour and predictions of future trends. Use the hypothetico-deductive model to test theories and quantitative methods to collect empirical (observable) data to measure social facts

• POSITIVISM

• INTERPRETIVISM

The use of standardised research methods and careful sampling techniques enables the collection of statistical data that is reliable and representative. This allows the findings to be applied to the whole of society and make generalised statements about the cause and effect of social activities

• POSITIVISM

• INTERPRETIVISM

Field experiments enable the discovery of the meaning and assumptions people attach to every day interaction; case studies can provide an in-depth account of social life from the point of view of those being researched

• POSITIVISM

• INTERPRETIVISM

The use of official statistics collected nationally by government agencies

• POSITIVISM

• INTERPRETIVISM