Common Examples of Research Paradigms

1. Positivism

Positivists believe that there’s a single reality that’s possible to measure and
understand. Because of this, they’re most likely to use quantitative methods in their
research. Typically, positivists propose a hypothesis that can be proved or disproved
using statistical data analysis. Positivism tends to investigate the existence of a
relationship between two variables rather than the reason behind it.

2. Constructivism

Constructivists believe that there’s no single reality or truth, but rather multiple realities.
They devote themselves to understanding and interpreting the meaning attached to an
action. For this reason, constructivists tend to use qualitative research methods, such
as interviews or case studies, which focus on providing different perspectives.
Constructivism aims to provide the answer to “why.” For example, asking “Why do 25%
of the employees of an organization regularly arrive late to work?” rather than merely
establishing the relationship between two variables (e.g., time of arrival at work and
availability of nearby parking).

3. Pragmatists

Pragmatists believe that reality is continually interpreted and renegotiated against the
backdrop of new and unpredictable situations. Because of this, the philosophy they
apply in research depends on the research question itself. Pragmatists often combine
positivist and constructivist principles in the same research project, using both
qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate different components of a research
problem. They believe that the optimal research methods are those that most
successfully answer the research question.

Merging Research Paradigms

While most social science research operates from either a positivist (experimental) or
constructivist paradigm, it’s possible to combine both, as the field of psychology often
does. Quantitative and qualitative methodology are frequently used together in
psychology, illustrating the subject’s footing in multiple research paradigms (positivist
and constructivist).