Is power that is recognized as legitimate.

a. authority
b. sovereignty
c. the will of the people
d. absolute rule

Authority is a power that recognized as legitimate. Authority is the is the idea to mean the right and to practice the given power. Authority is a type of communication which may command power and use to reinforce itself. Authority is a right to be obeyed, it may be generated by power.

The best sociological research method would have to be using experiments although it has some disadvantages as well