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SSC Sociology QUESTION #1675
Question 1
Robert K. Merton proposed a methodological and theoretical middle path between abstract grand theory and atheoretical empiricism in sociology, advocating for formal, logically interconnected propositions of limited scope that could be empirically tested. He called these:
  • Macro-sociological paradigms
  • Grand unified theories of social action
  • Middle-range theories✔️
  • Grounded theoretical frameworks
Correct Answer Explanation
In 'Social Theory and Social Structure' (1949), Merton criticized both Parsonian grand theory (too abstract to test) and raw empiricism (too disconnected from theory). He advocated for 'theories of the middle range' — formal, testable theories of limited scope (e.g., relative deprivation, reference group theory) that bridge empirical research and broader theoretical frameworks.