positivism+Kathy

Positivism Pages

positivism page for Kathy

The definition of positivism gives a good starting place to consider this theory. [] Pronunciation: \ ˈ pä-zə-ti- ˌ vi-zəm, ˈ päz-ti-\ Function: //noun // Etymology: French //positivisme,// from //positif// positive + //-isme// -ism Date: 1847 — **pos·i·tiv·ist** \-vist\ //adjective or noun// — **pos·i·tiv·is·tic** \ ˌ pä-zə-ti- ˈ vis-tik, ˌ päz-ti-\ //adjective// — **pos·i·tiv·is·ti·cal·ly** \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ //adverb//
 * pos·i·tiv·ism **<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 130%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 130%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">1 a: **<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 130%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> a theory that theology and metaphysics are earlier imperfect modes of knowledge and that [|**positive**] knowledge is based on natural phenomena and their properties and relations as verified by the empirical sciences **b:** [|**logical positivism**]**2:** the quality or state of being [|**positive**]

Next, a black and white overview: =<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">[|Positivism] = **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">(from Goode, 1994-2008 chapter 3. See the [|disclaimer]) **

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">A Methodological approach to understanding phenomenon based on:

 * **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Scientific Method **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Empiricism **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Objectivity (vs. ideology/politics) **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">See also, wikipedia on [|positivism] **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Positivistic Assumptions surrounding deviance

 * **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Deviance is real **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Deviants possess certain traits, commonalities. **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Understanding these traits gives us an understanding of the "causes" of deviance **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Positivistic Approaches:

 * **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Are characterized by Essentialism **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Seek understanding of Cause and Effect (forces, determinism) **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Have "objective" explanation as their goal **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Theory of Action-Reaction
<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Critique 1. **Positivism Ignores Subjective Experience, or the meaning to the participants**
 * **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Action is rational and non-problematic **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Deviants deviate and are labeled as such. Enforcement is directed at maintaining Order. **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Norms: protect the group, They are enacted for the common good. **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Deviance/deviants harm society. **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Social control is rational, and directed towards restoring societal integration **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Central question for positivist approaches: //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Why do they do it? // Discover cause; control individual (group); restore //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">order //. **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Positivist approaches tend to ignore the subjective experience of the deviant and the meaning the behavior has for the actor. **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">They blindly accepts the "wrongness" of deviance (ideology supports the status quo) **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Issue of relativity and constructionism and definition of the situation is glossed over **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Problem of determinism--final/absolute causes? **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The question of objectivity is not addressed, but assumed **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Constructionism Critiques Positivism **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">By only studying the objective features of an act; meaning is ignored. For the Constructionist, meaning is the heart of the social process.
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Two actions that are superficially and mechanically similar may mean very different things to the participants as opposed to the individuals who react to the participants and what they are doing. i.e. homosexuality. So, what something is, is entirely dependent on how it is interpreted by the relevant audience, including the actor.
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">"Meaning is not inherent in the act; it must be constructed". Thus, an act "is" nothing until it is categorized, conceptualized and interpreted.
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">It is this subjective process that locates the act as a specific instance of a general type of behavior.

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And finally, a video: []<span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">

The more you read, the more you realize that an educational leader would be making a big mistake to either ignore positivism or to rely on it exclusively!