Non-Positivist Methodologies in Social Research

1. Focus on Internal Meanings and Interpretation

Non-positivists explore emotions, motives, meanings and subjective interpretations of reality.
Example: Rather than counting religious followers, they study what religiosity means to individuals through interviews that uncover personal spiritual experiences.

2. Understanding Social Reality Instead of Predicting It

Rather than forecasting behaviour, they aim to understand lived experiences.
Example: Studying youth subcultures by asking why individuals identify with skateboarding and what belonging means to them, instead of predicting future trends.

3. Rejection of Universal Theories

Non-positivists avoid constructing one-size-fits-all explanations of society.
Example: Family structures are studied contextually—across cultures and identities—acknowledging that no single theory explains all families.

4. Acceptance of Subjectivity

They argue that complete objectivity is impossible, and researcher values inevitably shape inquiry.
Example: A scholar studying colonialism may reflect on how their identity influences empathy and interpretation instead of claiming neutrality.

5. Preference for Qualitative Methods

Non-positivism prioritises rich narratives and ethnographic insight over numerical measurement.
Example: Understanding mental health through personal interviews that explore meaning, coping, and identity rather than surveys or experiments.