Sociology IS a science

• Soc IS a science - Positivists


  Positivist believe that reality exists outside and independently of the human mind.

  • Nature is objective, observable and physical facts.
  • Similarly, society is an objective factual reality. Independent to us as individuals.
• Soc IS a science - Positivists


  Positivists argue reality isn't random, it’s patterned and we can observe these empirical patterns. Durkheim argued ‘real laws are discoverable’ that will determine patterns and how society works (inductive reasoning).

  • Induction involves gathering data about the world through observation & measurement so we can spot general patterns.
  • In summary, if we observe human behaviour enough, we can predict it
• Soc IS a science - Positivists


  From inductive reasoning, we develop verification (prove something true).

  • Positivists argue we can observe patterns to find the facts that cause them.
  • E.g. physics explains that an apple falls to the ground (one fact observed) due to gravity (one fact).
  • Educational failure (one fact observed) can be due to material deprivation (one fact).
  • With this, we can predict social events and guide social policies to prevent social issues.
• Soc IS a science


  Macro theories support this understanding:

  • see society and its structure as social facts that exist outside of us and shape our behaviour
• Soc IS a science - method


  Positivists believe sociology should take an experimental method - same as natural sciences.

  • Hypothesis testing (a=b)
  • Quantitative data
  • Cause and effect
• Soc IS a science - objectivity


  Researches should be DETACHED and OBJECTIVE:

  • In sociology there is a danger that the researcher may contaminate the research (value-laden).
  • Therefore methods allowing for maximum objectivity and detachment must be used (QUANTITATIVE METHODS).
• Soc IS a science - Example


  Durkheim suicide study:

  • Different levels of social integration and regulation produced rates of suicide.