Which of the following best distinguishes macro-level from micro-level theoretical perspectives in sociology?

• A. Macro-level and micro-level are interchangeable terms meaning the same thing; they both prioritize lab experiments on individuals and assume societal patterns do not matter.
• B. Macro-level focuses only on individual psychology and motivations for behavior, while micro-level studies national institutions, broad class structures, aggregate trends, and institutional power relations across societies and regions in order to explain social order.
• C. Macro-level uses only qualitative interviews to understand people in context, and micro-level relies entirely on quantitative national statistics to model broad inequality and systemic change across time and space.
• D. Macro-level examines large-scale social structures and patterns across societies or groups, while micro-level analyzes everyday interactions and meanings between individuals and small groups.

Answer: (D)