Comparison
Comparative questions have two main forms:
a. A comparison between different societies.
For example, is the divorce rate different in Britain and France - and if so, why?.
This type of question is called a cross-cultural comparison. It's basic aim is to see the extent to which different societies display the same or very similar patterns of behaviour.
b. A comparison between the present and the past in the same society
For example, is the divorce rate in modern Britain higher or lower than 100 years ago - and, if so, why?.
This type of question is called an historical or developmental comparison. It's basic aim is to see the extent to which the same society displays the same or very similar patterns of behaviour over time.
Comparative questions not only help us to develop factual knowledge about the social world, they can also help us to test theoretical questions.
For example, comparatively we know that in 1995 the number of people who divorced was:
- 160,000 in the United Kingdom.
- 0 in Eire (Southern Ireland). There were no divorces in Eire in that year.
By comparing the two societies we not only develop some form of factual knowledge about each, we can also look at possible social differences that explain something like different rates of divorce (in case you're wondering, Eire is a Catholic society that does not legally allow divorce...)