Positivism & Post-Positivist Approach - Research Aptitude Notes

Two significant approaches widely recognized among sociological researchers are Positivism and Post-Positivism.

Positivism

Auguste Comte and the Foundation of Positivism

• Auguste Comte, a French thinker, is known as the "Father of Positivism." 
• He introduced the epistemological perspective of positivism in his works,"The Course in Positive Philosophy"  (1842) and"System of Positive Polity"  (1851). 

Core Principles of Positivism

• Positivism is based on the idea that the universe is organized and governed by unchangeable natural laws. 
• According to Comte, these laws can be understood through scientific methods, rather than theological or hypothetical approaches. 
• Positivism involves acquiring knowledge through scientific methods that include analysis, synthesis, application, and classification. 
• It focuses on events that can be directly observed and felt, excluding anything beyond direct experience. 

Steps in the Positivism Approach

• Select a topic for study. 
• Collect observable evidence related to the topic through evaluation. 
• Analyze and classify the collected evidence based on general classification. 
• Draw conclusions from the analysis. 

Clear all your UGC NET doubts with EduRev Join for Free

Join for Free

Paradigm

Paradigm is a model of the functions and interpretations of a process. It is a way of thinking about something and how to study it. Emphasis on Paradigm

• The emphasis on the concept of a paradigm in research philosophy in the recent decades is usually attributed to the work of Thomas S. Kuhn in the 1960’s. 
• He discussed paradigms in the context of “the progress of scientific discoveries in practice” and went on to define paradigms as “universally recognised scientific achievements that for a time provide model problems and solutions to a community of practitioners”. 

Definition of Paradigm by Bryman According to Bryman, a paradigm is “a cluster of beliefs and dictates which for scientists in a particular discipline influence what should be studied, how research should be done and how results should be interpreted”. 

Nature of Paradigm It is primarily a set of basic beliefs that defines the nature of the world and the place that individual holds in the world and it also guides individual’s action. 

Types of Paradigms

• Positivist Paradigm
• Interpretive Paradigm
• Subjectivist Paradigm
• Phenomenology

Characteristics of Positivism

Positivism is a scientific approach that emphasizes observation and experimentation. It aims to describe and understand social phenomena based on empirical evidence, without delving into metaphysical or philosophical interpretations. 

• Positivism is closely linked to a scientific perspective and methodology. 
• It distances itself from religious and philosophical concepts. 
• Positivism is considered a utility science, focusing on knowledge that can be applied for social reconstruction. 

Limitations of Positivism

• Positivism depends on experience as a valid source of knowledge. 
• It lacks empathy and overlooks the subjective, individual, and interpretive aspects of social phenomena. 
• The pursuit of an ideal and perfect scientific methodology is often unrealistic. 
• Positivism may reject metaphysics, focusing solely on describing observable phenomena. 

Download the notes Notes: Research Approaches

Download as PDF

Download as PDF

Post-Positivism

Post-positivism is a philosophical approach that combines empirical evidence with logical reasoning to make estimates about events. It suggests that there is no fundamental difference between the thinking and actions of scientists and our everyday affairs. 

• Post-positivism holds that scientific logic and general logic are essentially the same process, differing only in degree. It emphasizes that all observations are unstable and prone to error, and these principles are reusable. 
• The goal of science, according to post-positivism, is to achieve truth using correct methods, whether or not the aim is fully reached. 
• Post-positivism highlights three developments: the use of quantitative and qualitative strategies, the desire for strategy based on research questions, and the pattern of quantitative versus qualitative techniques.
• It promotes the triangulation of qualitative and quantitative methods to explore the diversity of researchable facts.