What is positivism in sociology? Social research paradigms for beginners

Positivism in sociology – what does it mean? Let’s dive into this social research paradigm in my beginners’ guide!

Let’s get to grips with positivism using a relatable analogy: high school cliques!

Positivism, akin to the science geek high school clique, champions the scientific method. Positivists see the social world like a solid, tangible thing, almost like a rock you can hold in your hand. They believe it follows clear, universal rules, just like the laws that govern nature. When it comes to epistemology, rely on real-life evidence, putting their own opinions aside and diving deep into concrete data that can be observed and measured – what you can count is essentially what counts!

We’ll look at some examples from the Chicago School, and how positivist researchers explored social phenomena like crime in urban neighbourhoods, using rigorous quantitative methods. Their studies unravelled patterns and causal relationships, shedding light on the intricate dynamics of society.

Let me know your questions about positivism in the comments, let’s demystify paradigms together!

Chapters
0:00 - 0:41 Introduction and overview
0:42 - 3:32 What are paradigms?
3:33 - 4:23 Positivist ontology
4:24 - 6:22 Positivist epistemology
6:23 - 8:51 Positivist examples - The Chicago School
8:52 - 9:24 Recap

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Quad at the University of Chicago, March 1979. Available from Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi... [Accessed 22nd April 2024]

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