Exploring Research Methodologies: Positivism and Interpretivism

Positivism and interpretivism are two approaches of interpreting social reality, that each employ different methods of research and data collection to better help understand the study of human lived experiences. The positivist-interpretivist debate revolves around the ways in which human behavior should be conceptualized and studied (Pruss 1996: 4). Positivism is the most widely practiced research approach in social science, which regards the nature of social reality independent of consciousness. Positivists believe social reality can be studied independently from the researcher and that social life can be represented using numbers that according to positivists reveal features of social reality. On the other hand, interpretivists favor partipcant observation, interviews and social interaction where the researcher immerses into the informant’s reality to gain knowledge of their everyday human lived experiences.

Positivism or more specifically, logical positivism, is “maintained that science is value free, independent of the scientist, and obtained using objective methods” (McEwen & Wills, 2007, p.8). This leads to no biased interpretation of the data. In summary, objectivity and facts are the basis of received view.

In research paradigm, validity and reliability are the most basic characteristic issues used in qualitative and quantitative analysis. Validity as a psychometric standard is embedded in a positivist approach, which is relevant in reflecting on the qualitative point of view ascribed to the establishment of the truth. In view of this, definition of positivism ascribe to a theory systematic to validity. Additionally, other empirical conceptions culminating from resided validity include truth, deduction, universal laws, evidence, reason, and actuality among others.

The positivist paradigm refers to the assumption derived from empiricism and determinism, which aims to objectively predict the relationship between variables in question, with the belief that social matters can be treated the same way as those in natural science. The positivist paradigm assumes that true knowledge and information is derived from logic and mathematical implications, where every rational assertion can and must be scientifically proven. When applying this paradigm, the researcher is separate from what is being researched, with absolutely no interference of personal values and interests. As the avoidance of such interference cannot be achieved, post-positive paradigm was developed accordingly. Post-positivism implies that knowledge

Positivism and interpretivism are two approaches of interpreting social reality, that each employ different methods of research and data collection to better help understand the study of human lived experiences. The positivist-interpretivist debate revolves around the ways in which human behavior should be conceptualized and studied (Pruss 1996: 4). Positivism is the most widely practiced research approach in social science, which regards the nature of social reality of independent of consciousness. Positivists believe social reality can be studied independently from the researcher and that social life can be represented using numbers that according to positivists reveal features of social reality. On the other hand, interpretivists favor partipcant observation, interviews and social interaction where the researcher immerses into the informant’s reality to gain knowledge of their everyday human lived experiences.

.Knowledge and arguments in particular are developed based on a person’s individualised view of the environments and activities within it. According to Flower (2009), it is these individualised views that constitute what is referred to as research philosophy. Basically, research philosophy is the approach taken in construction of knowledge and by extension research. According to Saunders et al. (2009), there are three main types of research philosophy namely: interpretivism, positivism and realism. In this particular study an interpretivist

The methodical approach implied provides assistance in examining, whether the information researched was initiated and properly researched. When the researched information has been proven the outcome becomes more prominent and reliable in other research subjects. This is important because it shows the value of the research as well as its reliability and predictability. When a researcher applies the proper methodology and research design the comparison among fact and theory can be verified and it will also provide the researcher ethic procedures needed for the research to be achieved (Vankatesh, Brown, Bala, 2013).

The social science paradigm also known as Post positivism consists of testing hypothesis and research questions that are developed through reasoning. This is done through measurements and observation. Social scientists aspire to science and they seek to study human behaviour, interaction and thought in an organized way; which we can then measure, generalize and replicate. Like any research, post-positivism needs to be backed up by evidence. When a social science research sets out a research project, it is their goal to find evidence that can either agree or disagree with the hypothesis or theories. Post positivism, compared to positivism allows more interaction with the participants of the research project and seeks to highlight the relationship between universal properties between the variables. The best way to understand post positivism is by comparing it to positivism and the interpretive paradigm. Compared to positivism, post positivism is more tolerant for value-based information, however is not focused on qualitative information like the interpretive paradigm, instead the research is mainly focused on quantitative data.

Understanding the components of scientific research assists in being able to read scientific research documents correctly, evaluate the methods that are used, and decide whether the conclusions reached are rational. Exploratory research involves many things, in particular, case studies and the psychobiography, content analysis, and archival research. Research, in itself, can seem to be an elusive form of representation. These components to proper research will be further explained.

Primarily, I’ll make use of the Positivist methodology of conducting out research which reinforces the objectivity of social reality (ontological) and methodological which simply means that the results sought after the research can easily be generalized to not only just the sample size but the entire

Perspectivism in social science is the process of applying social scientific results to modify certain aspects of the society in question and/or of the individual’s life. Perspectives in the social science can inflict harm on the search for truth by the social science practitioners, audiences and non participants. The possible harm that can be caused can be classified into varieties on the basis of the harm. There are three varieties possible harm. The first variety is harm for the internal goods of social science as a practice. Harm of this sort can be done in the process of doing social science, and harm done to the third party in the process of social science. The second variety is harm for the

The theoretical perspectives that are largely concerned with quantitative research includes; realism, critical inquiry, positivism and post-positivism (Gray, 2004). Qualitative researchers tend to view the world through the interpretivist paradigm. The interpretivist researcher focuses on the interpretation of social phenomenon as subjective, aiming to discover a deep and meaningful understanding of how and why human behaviour evolves, and through the eyes and points of view of their participants, believing that knowledge is uncovered from meaning (Henn et al, 2006). In contrast, Quantitative researchers view the world through the positivist paradigm. The positivist researcher primarily focuses on the investigation of social phenomenon as objective by detaching themselves from the subject matter to view the world from an objectivist angle and believing that knowledge is ‘out there’ to be uncovered (Henn et al, 2006).

Both Marxist and positivist stress the need for a rigorous scientific method, for scientific analysis of the social phenomenon and natural world.

There are two main subdivisions of research philosophies; ontological and epistemological research philosophies. Ontology involves using a nature perspective to establish how things work. On the other hand, epistemology involves assessing the interaction between the knowledge of the inquirer and the research (Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, 2009). The nature of reality can thus be determined by reviewing the four primary research philosophies that are based on epistemology and ontology.

Positivism is a rigorous and formal way to collect and analyze data that was developed around the 1960’s by Auguste Comte (1798-1857) who is also credited with formalizing it. Studies are clear and straight forward and researchers believe that there is only one method that all sciences should rely on. Positivism believes