Comparative method is carried out only in the mind of the sociologist. It is a ‘thought experiment’ – sometimes called a ‘natural experiment’. Rather than experimenting on real people, it relies on re-analysing secondary data that has already been collected.
The researcher identifies two groups that are alike in all major respects except for the one variable that they are interested in. Then compare the two groups to see if this one difference has any effect.
THEORY:
Like lab experiments & field experiments, the comparative method is also favoured by positivists. Like the lab experiment it is designed to discover cause-and-effect relationships, leading to the development of ‘social facts’.
