Final answer:
A 'time-use' diary provides quantitative data on how much time people spend on various daily activities, useful for statistical analysis and societal trend comprehension, but does not capture subjective meanings, narratives, or historical contexts of timekeeping.
Step-by-step explanation:
The 'time-use' diary can provide quantitative data about the amount of time respondents spend on certain activities every day. This form of data collection is tied to quantitative sociology and involves the recording of data in numerical form, which can then be counted and statistically analyzed. Time-use diaries can show researchers trends and changes over time based on the activities respondents engage in and the duration spent on them. This kind of data gives insight into daily life and habits but does not delve into the subjective meanings or narrative forms associated with time, nor does it pertain to the historical significance of time measurement devices.
Using quantitative data gleaned from time-use diaries, statistical comparisons can be made across various populations or time periods to study cultural practices, such as labor patterns or leisure activities. Such statistics can be essential in understanding broader societal trends, resource allocation, and personal time management. However, these diaries do not capture the qualitative aspects of time, such as personal beliefs or the historical context of timekeeping.