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INTERPRETIVE
SOCIOLOGY
MEANING IS THE KEY TO LEARNING
ABOUT HUMANS AND THEIR BEHAVIOR.
WE ACT FOR A
REASON!
Do NOT just
observe but
INTERPRET!
• Weber …..
INTERPRETIVE SOCIOLOGY
IS……………
Study of society that focuses
on the meanings people
attach to their social world.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN:
Scientific Sociology
Interpretive Sociology
SCIENTIFIC SOCIOLOGY
• Focuses on Actions
• Sees an objective reality “out there”
• Tends to favor quantitative data – numerical
measurements of people’s behavior
• Best completed in a laboratory setting where
you can measure the research and see the
results as they happen.
• They can stand back and take careful
measurements.
INTERPRETIVE SOCIOLOGY
• Focuses on the meaning people attach to their
actions.
• Sees reality constructed by people themselves in
the course of their everyday lives.
• Tends to favor qualitative data – how people
understand their surroundings.
• Best completed in a natural setting where the
interaction among the investigators and
people can take place.
• This helps them make sense of their everyday
lives
VERSTEHEN
The German word for……….
Understanding
INTERPRETIVE SOCIOLOGISTS ……
Do not just observe WHAT people do
But……
Also try to understand WHY they do it.
The thoughts and feelings of
subjects are the focus.
They are hard to measure but
necessary to “understand the why”.