在韦伯看来,社会学的研究对象就是人们的社会行动,而人们的社会行动都是有主观意向和动机的,这是与自然科学的很大不同,因此社会学研究首先要设法理解人们的社会行动。即把握行动者赋予行动的意义。理解有两种类型。(1)直观理解:通过对行动的直接观察就能理解其意义。如观察到一个人的面部表情,我们知道他发怒了;看到人们写出2×2=4以及类似的简单数学命题时,我们也能立即明白它的基本含义。(2)解释性理解:根据动机把握行动者的行动意义。这是一种对行动者的动机的理性理解,也是更进一步的理解。因为直观的理解往往只能知晓社会行动“是什么”或“干什么”,而解释性的理解却能弄清社会行动的“为什么”。如直观的理解告诉我们某人发怒了,而解释性理解告诉我们他发怒的原因:有人偷走了他心爱的东西;再如当我们看到有人写出算式:2×2=4时,直观理解让我们立即明白它的数学含义。而解释性理解则让我们知道他为什么写出这个算式:完成老师布置的作业或为了算账等。In Weber's opinion, the research object of sociology is the people's social action, and people's social action are subjective intention and motivation, which is greatly different with the natural sciences, therefore, sociology research must first try to understand people's social action. That is to grasp the meaning of the action given by the actor. There are two types of understanding. (1) intuitive understanding: through the direct observation of the action can understand its meaning. As observed in a person's facial expressions, we know that he is angry and see people write 2 x 2=4 and similar simple mathematical propositions, we can immediately understand its basic meaning. (2) interpretative understanding: grasping the action meaning of the actor according to the motive. This is a rational understanding of the motives of the actors, but also a further understanding. Because intuitive understanding often only know what social action "is" or "do what", and explain the understanding of the social action can understand why". Such as intuitive understanding tells us someone angry, while understanding tells us why he is angry: someone has stolen his beloved things; another example is when we see someone write a formula: 2 x 4, intuitive understanding immediately so that we understand its mathematical meaning interpretation. The understanding is to let us know why he wrote this formula: complete the teacher assignments or to other accounts.