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Summary Positivism vs Interpretivism
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A summary of both the Positivist theory and Interpretivist theory and a comparison between their ideas.
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Research MethodsTopic 1 – Positivism vs Interpretivism
Key Terms
Reliability The extent to which a study can be replicated in the
same way
Eg. If a method is repeated by another research, they
will receive the same results
Validity How well a piece of research actually measures what it
sets out to, or how well it reflects the reality it claims to
represent
Representative The extent to which a sample mirrors a researcher’s
target population and reflects its characteristics
Generalisability The extent to which their findings can be applied to the
larger population of which their sample was a part
Positivism and Interpretivism
Positivism This takes a macro approach, meaning it looks at the
bigger picture (large-scale)
It seeks to discover patterns of behaviour and sees
sociology as a science; hence it should be studied in a
scientific way
Interpretivism Takes a micro approach, meaning it focuses on
individuals (or small groups) and observes the
interactions between them
They understand individuals to be unique – so, society
cannot be studied scientifically
Relationship between the individual
and society
Positivism Believes that structural forces shape the individual
Thus, people’s actions can generally be explained by the
social norms they have been exposed to through their
socialisation
Eg. Social class, gender, ethnicity
Interpretivism Understand that society is constructed of individuals
with free will – so, these individuals shape their society
They have conscious and are not just puppets who react
to external social forces.
Individuals, being so complex and unique, means that
different people experience reality in different ways,
having different reasons for their actions
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