What term denotes the scientific study of social patterns?

• A. Positivism
• B. Interpretivism
• C. Hermeneutics
• D. Phenomenology

Answer: (A)

Positivism emphasizes a scientific approach to social life, focusing on empirical observation, measurement, and the search for regularities in how societies behave. It treats social facts as things that can be studied like phenomena in the natural sciences, using data and hypothesis testing to uncover general patterns or laws about social behavior. This makes it the best match for the idea of the scientific study of social patterns.

Interpretivism centers on understanding the meanings people attach to their actions, often through qualitative methods, rather than aiming to establish broad generalizations. Hermeneutics is a method of interpretation focused on meaning, usually in texts or symbols, within a context. Phenomenology concentrates on individuals’ lived experiences and how phenomena appear to consciousness, rather than on broad social patterns.