Central and East European
Society for Phenomenology

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193061

Shortcomings of positivistic methodology for researching cultural psychology

Carl Ratner

pp. 13-52

Abstract

Many social scientists see no need for a new cultural psychological methodology because they believe the prevailing positivistic methodology is sufficient. This chapter explains why positivistic methodology is inadequate for investigating cultural psychological phenomena and why a new approach is necessary. I do not simply identify positivism's shortcomings, e.g., that it is superficial. Such a limited analysis offers no explanation of the weaknesses. Nor does it instruct us on how to achieve a deeper understanding of cultural psychology. Consequently, I attempt not merely to identify positivism's weaknesses but also to explain them. I link the weaknesses of positivism to its fundamental ontological and epistemological assumptions. Once we understand the erroneous assumptions that underlie positivism's problems, we can uproot and replace them.

Publication details

Published in:

Ratner Carl (1997) Cultural psychology and qualitative methodology: theoretical and empirical considerations. Dordrecht, Springer.

Pages: 13-52

DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4757-2681-7_2

Full citation:

Ratner Carl (1997) Shortcomings of positivistic methodology for researching cultural psychology, In: Cultural psychology and qualitative methodology, Dordrecht, Springer, 13–52.