Social Facts

• What is a fact according to the study material?

  Anything considered true beyond doubt
• Why are soft facts/data considered questionable?

  They can be socially constructed
• Who created the concept of social facts?

  Durkheim
• How does Durkheim define social facts?

  Structures that affect individual actions
• What is the positivist view on social facts?

  Data can be treated as social facts
• What do positivists claim about social facts?

  They can be explored through scientific research
• What do official statistics and social surveys provide?

  Objective and value-free data
• What is a limitation of positivist data collection methods?

  They may overlook feelings and motives
• How do standardized procedures benefit research findings?

  They increase reliability and allow replication
• What do positivists believe about crime statistics?

  They treat them as reliable social facts
• What do interpretivists argue about all research?

  It is inevitably value-laden
• What is a criticism of official statistics according to interpretivists?

  They are subject to various biases
• What do mental health statistics depend on?

  Public willingness to report illness
• What do Atkinson and Douglas criticize about Durkheim's study?

  They argue suicide rates are social constructions
• What does Atkinson suggest about variations in suicide rates?

  They reflect how coroners classify deaths
• What does Douglas believe about individuals and suicide?

  They have free will and personal meanings
• Why do interpretivists question the reliability of crime statistics?

  They are social constructions and underestimate crime
• What types of crime are often invisible in statistics?

  White collar and cyber crimes
• What do positivists argue about case studies?

  They are too unique to generalize
• What are the main arguments for and against sociology producing social facts?

  For:

  • Positivists claim data can be scientifically explored.
  • Official statistics provide objective data.

  
  

  Against:

  • Interpretivists argue all research is value-laden.
  • Statistics can be biased and socially constructed.
• What caution should be taken regarding government-published social facts?

  They may manipulate data for their purposes
• What do postmodernists argue about knowledge and social facts?

  All knowledge is uncertain, social facts can't exist
• What is the title of the recommended reading by Webb et al.?

  AQA A level Sociology, Book Two
• What is the title of the recommended reading by Browne?

  Sociology for AQA Vol 2
• What is the format of the A-level sample questions?

  Paper 1 and Paper 3
• What is the mark allocation for Paper 1 sample questions?

  10 marks for 15 minutes
• What is the mark allocation for Paper 3 sample questions?

  10+20 marks for 45 minutes
• What is one type of question asked in the A-level sample questions?

  Arguments against sociology producing social facts
• What is another type of question asked in the A-level sample questions?

  Reasons why sociology can produce social facts
• What is the purpose of evaluating the view that sociology can produce social facts?

  To assess the validity of sociological claims