Question

Robert Merton called for a style of sociology that avoids extremes: it focuses on institutions, not tiny groups and not whole societies, and it holds theory and empirical observation in balance. This type of study is called _________ theory.

Answer 1

Answer:

Mid-range theory.

Explanation:

As the exercise explains, what Robert Merton developed as Middle-range theory is a style of sociology that avoids extremes: it focuses on institutions, not tiny groups and not whole societies, and it holds theory and empirical observation in balance. The way this is applied is, overall, to start with an empirical phenomenon which is then abstracted to create general statements to be verified, or not, by data. As it was mentioned before, it avoides extremes: it won't study small groups or whole societies, it will focus it's attention on institutions.