Epistemologías · 1830
Positivism / Post-positivism
Positivism and post-positivism constitute one of the most influential epistemological traditions in psychological research and in contemporary psychotherapy. In its classical version, positivism held that valid knowledge had to be grounded in observable facts, empirical regularities, measurement and the formulation of laws. In its later development, post-positivism softens that claim to absolute certainty: it accepts that all observation is mediated by theories, instruments, biases and contexts, but holds that it is possible to approach more reliable knowledge progressively through testing, replication, methodological critique and the control of error.
Key references
- Comte, A. (1830-1842). Cours de philosophie positive.
- Popper, K. R. (1959). The Logic of Scientific Discovery.
- Campbell, D. T., & Stanley, J. C. (1963). Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Designs for Research.
- Cook, T. D., & Campbell, D. T. (1979). Quasi-Experimentation: Design and Analysis Issues for Field Settings.
- Eysenck, H. J. (1952). The effects of psychotherapy: An evaluation.
- Wolpe, J. (1958). Psychotherapy by Reciprocal Inhibition.
- Beck, A. T. (1976). Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders.
- Ellis, A. (1962). Reason and Emotion in Psychotherapy.
- Barlow, D. H. (2002). Anxiety and Its Disorders: The Nature and Treatment of Anxiety and Panic.
- Foa, E. B., & Kozak, M. J. (1986). Emotional processing of fear: Exposure to corrective information.