Final answer:
Durkheim emphasizes the importance of studying rates and patterns in sociological research to understand social facts, which shape individual and collective behaviors in society.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Émile Durkheim, it is important to look at rates rather than individuals because he believed that sociologists should focus on social facts, which are elements larger than individual behavior and are essential in understanding society as a whole. Social facts, including laws, morals, values, religious beliefs, customs, and cultural norms, shape behavior and serve functions within society such as protecting from violence, punishing criminal behavior, and preserving public health. To study these phenomena, Durkheim emphasized the necessity of looking at patterns and rates across a population, as individual cases do not provide the same level of insight into the collective phenomena that influence behavior and societal health, as seen in his research among different religious communities.