Exercise 3

The Positivist and Interpretivist Approach to Research

1. Numerical data is seen as valid because

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2. A hypothesis is
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3. (a) Distinguish between an independent and independent variable.

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(b) In the following social research topics identify the independent and dependent
variables.
(i) Globalisation has led to cultural erasure in the Caribbean.
(ii) The relationship between dancehall music and sexual behaviour in teenagers.
(iii) An examination of the relationship between marijuana use and the academic
performance of young men.

4. Multivariate analysis is a method used when more than one variable could possibly affect a
phenomenon (your dependent variable). In your own words, explain what you understand by
multivariate analysis.
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5. Interpretivism can be defined as

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6. Two theorists associated with interpretivism are

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7. Weber believes that the two concepts that sociology should be concerned with are
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8. Interpretivists believe that “people’s behaviour is not determined but emerges from how they
interpret the world around them and how they define the situation they are in” (Chinapoo 2014
pg. 52).

Explain the statement above using people’s response to the COVID 19 restrictions as an
example.
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9. Interpretivists also believe that ……………………….. are more meaningful than statistical
data.