Q.1 Who is considered the father of Positivism in sociology?
Karl Marx
Émile Durkheim
Auguste Comte
Max Weber
Explanation - Auguste Comte coined the term 'Positivism' and is regarded as the father of Positivist sociology.
Correct answer is: Auguste Comte
Q.2 Which of the following best describes Positivism?
Emphasis on subjective interpretation
Focus on observable, scientific facts
Rejection of empirical evidence
Prioritizing moral philosophy over science
Explanation - Positivism emphasizes empirical observation and scientific methods to study society, avoiding subjective interpretations.
Correct answer is: Focus on observable, scientific facts
Q.3 In Positivist sociology, which method is primarily used to study social phenomena?
Speculative philosophy
Empirical observation
Intuition
Historical analysis
Explanation - Positivism relies on empirical data collected through observation and experimentation to understand social behavior.
Correct answer is: Empirical observation
Q.4 According to Comte, sociology should aim to discover:
Moral truths
Social laws
Individual beliefs
Political ideologies
Explanation - Comte argued that sociology should identify general laws governing society, similar to natural laws in science.
Correct answer is: Social laws
Q.5 Which stage in Comte’s Law of Three Stages represents the scientific approach?
Theological
Metaphysical
Positive
Speculative
Explanation - The 'Positive Stage' is when knowledge is based on observation, experiment, and scientific reasoning.
Correct answer is: Positive
Q.6 Positivist sociology often avoids which of the following?
Quantitative research
Value judgments
Statistical analysis
Empirical data collection
Explanation - Positivism maintains objectivity and avoids personal or moral judgments while studying social phenomena.
Correct answer is: Value judgments
Q.7 Which thinker emphasized using scientific methods to reform society?
Karl Marx
Auguste Comte
Herbert Spencer
Max Weber
Explanation - Comte believed sociology should not only understand society but also apply scientific knowledge to improve it.
Correct answer is: Auguste Comte
Q.8 Which of the following is a critique of Positivism?
It ignores empirical evidence
It overemphasizes subjective interpretation
It neglects human subjectivity and meaning
It relies solely on moral philosophy
Explanation - Critics argue Positivism can overlook the subjective meanings and intentions behind social actions.
Correct answer is: It neglects human subjectivity and meaning
Q.9 Which research method aligns most closely with Positivist sociology?
Participant observation
Survey research
Hermeneutics
Case studies
Explanation - Survey research uses structured data collection and statistical analysis, reflecting the Positivist emphasis on objectivity.
Correct answer is: Survey research
Q.10 What is the main goal of Positivist sociology?
Understanding social values
Discovering social laws
Exploring individual consciousness
Analyzing literary texts
Explanation - Positivism seeks to uncover general laws that govern social behavior through scientific methods.
Correct answer is: Discovering social laws
Q.11 Herbert Spencer applied Positivism by comparing society to:
A living organism
A machine
A legal system
A religious institution
Explanation - Spencer used the organic analogy, seeing society as a system of interrelated parts, evolving similarly to biological organisms.
Correct answer is: A living organism
Q.12 In Positivist thought, the use of statistics helps in:
Interpreting personal meanings
Discovering patterns in society
Evaluating moral values
Understanding spiritual beliefs
Explanation - Statistics allows Positivist sociologists to identify trends and regularities in social behavior.
Correct answer is: Discovering patterns in society
Q.13 Which stage of Comte’s theory emphasizes philosophical speculation?
Theological
Metaphysical
Positive
Scientific
Explanation - The Metaphysical Stage explains phenomena using abstract reasoning and conceptual analysis, before scientific methods were applied.
Correct answer is: Metaphysical
Q.14 Which is a fundamental principle of Positivism?
Knowledge is relative
Knowledge should be based on observation
Knowledge is purely subjective
Knowledge is mystical
Explanation - Positivism emphasizes that true knowledge is derived from empirical observation and evidence.
Correct answer is: Knowledge should be based on observation
Q.15 Comte believed that sociology should contribute to:
Religious conversion
Scientific understanding and social reform
Political propaganda
Philosophical debates
Explanation - Comte envisioned sociology as a science that could guide society towards order and progress.
Correct answer is: Scientific understanding and social reform
Q.16 Which of the following is NOT consistent with Positivist methodology?
Objectivity
Empirical observation
Speculation without data
Use of statistics
Explanation - Positivism rejects unverified speculation and emphasizes empirical evidence.
Correct answer is: Speculation without data
Q.17 Positivism in sociology emerged primarily in which century?
17th century
18th century
19th century
20th century
Explanation - Auguste Comte developed Positivism in the early 19th century during the rise of scientific thinking.
Correct answer is: 19th century
Q.18 Which feature distinguishes Positivist sociology from interpretive sociology?
Use of empirical data
Interest in subjective meanings
Focus on culture and symbols
Emphasis on personal experiences
Explanation - Positivism relies on measurable, observable data, whereas interpretive sociology focuses on understanding meanings and experiences.
Correct answer is: Use of empirical data
Q.19 Which method is least likely to be used by a Positivist sociologist?
Experiments
Surveys
Interviews without structure
Quantitative analysis
Explanation - Unstructured interviews introduce subjectivity, which Positivists try to minimize in their research.
Correct answer is: Interviews without structure
Q.20 Comte’s idea of hierarchy of sciences places sociology at the:
Top
Middle
Bottom
Outside
Explanation - Comte considered sociology the 'queen of the sciences' because it builds on insights from all other sciences to understand society.
Correct answer is: Top
Q.21 Which concept reflects the Positivist idea that society follows predictable patterns?
Social contract
Social laws
Anomie
Symbolic interaction
Explanation - Positivists like Comte and Durkheim believed that social behavior could be understood through general laws.
Correct answer is: Social laws
Q.22 Positivism influenced which of the following in sociology?
Functionalism
Critical theory
Phenomenology
Postmodernism
Explanation - Positivist emphasis on social facts and order shaped Durkheim’s functionalist perspective.
Correct answer is: Functionalism
Q.23 Which is a key criticism of Positivism regarding social research?
It ignores scientific methods
It underestimates social complexity
It is too subjective
It rejects quantitative data
Explanation - Positivism may oversimplify social reality by focusing solely on measurable patterns and ignoring deeper social meanings.
Correct answer is: It underestimates social complexity
Q.24 Durkheim’s study of suicide is considered Positivist because it:
Relied on metaphysical speculation
Used statistical data to find social patterns
Focused on individual feelings
Explored literary interpretations
Explanation - Durkheim applied Positivist methodology by using empirical statistics to uncover social causes of suicide.
Correct answer is: Used statistical data to find social patterns
Q.25 Which of the following best exemplifies a Positivist approach?
Analyzing the meaning of friendship
Studying crime rates using police records
Interpreting religious rituals symbolically
Exploring personal narratives of life experiences
Explanation - Using observable, measurable data like crime statistics aligns with Positivist methods.
Correct answer is: Studying crime rates using police records