things such as institutions, norms and values which exist external to the individual and constrain the individual
Approach to sociological research
Objective and logical
Preferred data and methods
Quantitative -> closed questions, structured interviews and experiments
Induction
involves accumulating data about the world through careful observation and measurement
Causality
the relationship between cause and effect
Objective quantitative research
Follows the experimental method and allows them to uncover and measure patterns of behaviour and research should be detached from subjectivefeelings and interpretations.
