Interpretivism

• Interpretivists are the contrasting methodological position to Positivism. It is the view that people and institutions are fundamentally different to that of the natural sciences, therefore researching the social world should be done in a different way to how plants and chemicals are studied
• Interpretivist's research 

  • Use qualitative data- allows for depth  
  • Argue that social action can only be understood by interpreting meanings and motives 
  • Prioritise collecting valid data that is accurate, truthful, and uncovers the meanings/motives behind a person or group's behaviour  
  • Ethnographic methods, building rapport, establish verstehen  
• Semi structured interviews are favoured by interpretivists

  Semi-structured interviews involve a predefined list of open and closed questions. Probing questions are used during the interview to encourage in-depth responses. The primary goal is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the respondent's perspective.
• Unstructured interviews are favoured by interpretivists 


  Unstructured interviews utilize open-ended questions, often beginning with a general topic or a list of subjects. There's no fixed set of questions, and the primary goal is to make respondents feel valued. The researcher's involvement is minimal.
• Ethnographic research is favoured by interpretivists 


  Ethnography is a small-scale study of a group's culture, seeking to offer a detailed description of lifestyles, values, and social divisions through a combination of observations and interviews.
• Interpretivists favor various observation methods, enabling researchers to observe actual behavior rather than relying on self-reported information. This approach allows for gaining a deeper understanding or "verstehen" by putting oneself in the shoes of the observed individuals.