Ideal types in sociology serve as adjustable yardsticks tested against historical reality

Evidence

Rex uses the Weberian notion of ideal types to describe forms of minority political structure and action (Rex, 1970). He defends this methodology as a way of “defining concepts, of refining them in the course of historical studies, of arguing about them, and then applying them again as yardsticks against which reality can be measured” (Rex 1979:306). — David Theo Goldberg, John Solomos, A Companion to Racial and Ethnic Studies, 2172

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines the Weberian ideal-type method as a self-refining measuring stick for social reality.