What is positivist and non-positivist (interpretivist) inquiry?

The way how we think, what kind of assumptions we have about the world greatly influence how we conduct research. The word paradigm means a worldview, or a given framework we use to interpret the world around us. In social sciences, two of such paradigms (or worldviews) exist: positivist and non-positivist paradigms. Non-positivism is often referred to as antipositivism or interpretivism, implying the focus on meaning-making. Indeed, positivism and interpretivism are the two basic approaches to research in social sciences, where “positivists believe society shapes the individual and use quantitative methods, intepretivists believe individuals shape society and use qualitative methods” (ReviseSociology). Each of these paradigms will be discussed separately, in order to understand the differences between the two.

Positivism:

  • has its origins in the natural sciences
  • human beings can be researched in the same way as natural phenomena
  • it is possible to conduct research with objectivity
  • discovery of what is true is possible (Marsh and Stoker 2002; Alessandrini 2012)
  • research must explain and predict
  • society as a whole is of interest (the “bigger picture”)

Non-positivism:

  • there is no single ‘truth’ but rather there are truths, or interpretations of truth
  • meanings are important and socially constructed, hence the same phenomena may have multiple interpretations given different contexts and the interpretations
  • social actors define actions (Marsh and Stoker 2002; Alessandrini 2012; Babbie 1998)
  • individuals as social actors are of importance

In other words, non-positivist approach focuses on meaning-making, experiences, contexts and forms of interpretation, while a positivist approach values objectivity above all. A non-positivist considers the researcher as an actor with values, through which interpretation happens, while positivist approach maintains that values and biases of researchers must be set aside when conducting research. Consequently, the two viewpoints are opposite of one another and will result in a different approach to research, including the general focus of research and choice of methodologies to conduct research.