A paradigm, or worldview, based on the natural sciences. Positivists believe in the existence of an objective reality, and that ‘truth’ can be discovered through rigourous methods of experimentation and observation. In positivist research, researchers concern themselves with maintaining objectivity and neutrality. Most positivist research is quantitative in nature.
Glossary
Positivism
Glossary
Summary (bullet points)
- Paradigm originating in the natural sciences
- There is one objective reality
- Humans can know that objective reality through careful experimentation and observation
Classification (s)
Research term
Classification (s)
Metatheory
Foundational paper (s)
Park YS, Konge L, Artino AR. The positivism paradigm of research. Academic Medicine. 2020 May 1;95(5):690-4.