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-Karen- August 9th, 2005 01:07 AM

Positivist research and social constructionist research

Could someone please tell me the differences between positivist research and social constructionst research? and the relationship with work psychology at the individual and group. Thanks

Artaide December 6th, 2005 03:45 AM

Re: Positivist research and social constructionist research
Simply put they are polar opposites.
A positivist approach is one that is considered objective, detached and if I may put that way, structured by the researcher's views who tests a hypothesis. It is usually associated with quantitative data collection methods and statistical analysis.

A social constructivist approach is bottom up, situated within the group of phenomena you are researching, informed on an ongoing basis by the people and issues you are researching. It is usually qualitative and as such the researcher is part of the process. Objectivity is not the goal, instead you are looking for authenticity of findings making the voices of the participants central. Your goal is explaining a central phenomenon.

I will let someone else tackle the second part of your question.

Carie Ann Jamora August 10th, 2006 10:44 PM

Re: Positivist research and social constructionist research
positivist research --or positivism sees social science as an organized method for combining deductive logic with precise empirical observations of individual behavior in order to discover and confirm a set of probabilistic causal laws that can be used to predict general patterns of human activity.

social constructionist -defines social science as a criical process of inquiry that goes beyond surface illusions to uncover the real structures in the material world in order too help people change conditions and build a better world for themselves...

i got those definitions from my module.....

indeed they are at the ends of a pole...
positivist is very rigid as they strive to be very objective and empirical.....they conduct social research like physical science while the social constructivist focuses more on utilizing information as catalysts for social change...they have an activist point of view....

i'm not so sure if you mean how these two methodologies work in psychology or how could they be related to WORK psychology...anyway...

these methodologies could be viewed in the different modes and measures in employing psychological intervention

psychological testing is very positivist .... tools are used to measure behavior or psychological state......very obejective
humanistic psychotherapies for example --- :) :p are very social constructivist in such a way that they facilitate or help people help themselves... both in individual and group


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