A Level Sociology OCR Practice Exam

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Prepare for the A Level Sociology OCR Exam with comprehensive quizzes and study materials designed to enhance your understanding of the subject. Improve your knowledge and confidence as you tackle sociology themes and concepts, essential for succeeding in your exam!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

Which concept focuses on understanding social behavior through empathetic engagement?

Positivism
Verstehen
Relativism
Rationalism

The correct answer is: Verstehen

The concept that focuses on understanding social behavior through empathetic engagement is Verstehen. Originating from German sociologist Max Weber, Verstehen emphasizes the importance of interpreting social actions by putting oneself in the shoes of others. This approach underlines the subjective experience of individuals, allowing researchers to gain insights into the meanings and motivations behind people's actions within their social contexts. In contrast, Positivism emphasizes objective and scientific methods to study social phenomena, advocating for a more detached observation of facts rather than empathetic understanding. Relativism suggests that different cultures and social contexts can shape perspectives, but it does not specifically focus on empathetic engagement for understanding behavior. Rationalism centers on reason and logical deduction as primary sources of knowledge, rather than emotional or empathetic insight into social behaviors.