Final answer:
Sociologists use the interpretive framework to deeply understand cultural phenomena from the participants' perspectives. This qualitative approach differs from the quantitative scientific method and involves immersive techniques like participant observation and interviews.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sociologists are encouraged to practice interpretive framework to understand people from the framework of the culture being studied. This approach emphasizes gaining in-depth knowledge and understanding of the human experience from the perspective of the participants within a culture. Rather than seeking generalizable results through the hypothesis-testing model, the interpretive framework aims to comprehend social worlds through the eyes of those experiencing them directly, thus capturing the nuances of social interaction and cultural dynamics.
For instance, when Bettina Shell-Duncan studied Female Genital Cutting (FGC), her work highlighted the necessity of suspending one's own value judgments to gain genuine insight into the cultural practices of others. Sociologists and anthropologists alike use an interpretive framework through various methodologies like interviews, participant observation, and cultural immersion to secure an insider's point of view. This deeply contextual understanding is also informed by the concept of the sociological imagination, a term coined by C. Wright Mills, which reflects an awareness of how individual experiences and behaviors are shaped by broader historical and social forces.