The notion of a "paradigm" was first introduced inphilosophy of science positivist G. Bergman, but became widely known after the publication of T. Kuhn of his scientific and philosophical works. He proposed his view of scientific revolutions as a paradigm shift - some initial conceptual and theoretical schemes that dominate science in a certain historical period. So what is the paradigm in science? This term is understood as the aggregate integrity of scientific beliefs, values and research methodology that are accepted by the scientific community.
Psychological view on the concept of "paradigm". Identify different approaches
With reference to the science of the psyche and the patterns of its manifestation, three approaches have been formed regarding the answer to the question: "What is the paradigm in psychology?".
The first approach is that this natural science is a pre-paradigmatic area of knowledge, since the scientific paradigm in it has not yet developed.
Within the framework of the second approach, psychologymulti-paradigm science, because it formed several paradigms - psychoanalytic, behavioral, humanistic, cognitive, and others.
The third approach is characterized by the fact that psychology is considered an extra-paradigm science, because the concept of a "paradigm" is generally inapplicable in this sphere.
Humanitarian and natural-scientific paradigms in psychology
The famous German scientist V. Dilthey divided psychology into an explanatory, more inclined to the methods of exact sciences, and descriptive or understanding. This view of the two types of this science is relevant to this day.
Methods and methods of cognition of the human psycheare actively discussed in psychology, and this problem does not have any unequivocal solution. Describing this situation, B. Bratus wrote that the psychologist often heard, especially from representatives of the exact sciences, that psychology is not a science, since it does not have exact laws, strictly scientific methods of investigation. However, on the other hand, as soon as psychologists begin to get involved in mathematical methods of describing mental processes, strive for clear formalization, claims already arise in the humanities - say, the human psyche is so complex that it can not be formalized. The same situation we can observe in psychology itself.
Opponents of the scientistic approach as apsychoanalysis leads. As the famous Kizhi were built without a single nail, so the building of the psychoanalytic trend in psychology was built without a single mathematical sign. The discussions of supporters of these approaches continue to this day.
The concept of a paradigm in sociology
To understand what a paradigm is in sociology,you should know that the situation with respect to the concept of "paradigm" in this science is similar to the situation described above. Since sociology has a number of fundamental theories, it can be referred to as "multi-paradigmatic" science, that is, to a scientific discipline with several paradigms, just like psychology. Assessing its current state, the well-known sociologist G.V. Osipov notes a number of basic schemes that are based on the well-known theories of E. Durkheim, K. Marx, B. Skinner, M. Weber.
A slightly different answer to the question: "What is the paradigm?" can be found in foreign sociological literature. For example, E. Giddens as a paradigm considers the scientific theories of K. Marx, O. Comte, E. Durkheim, M. Weber. Along with this, we can talk not about a large number of paradigms in sociology, but only about two - classical and modern. Many foreign sociologists say that in connection with the rapidly changing nature of the present era, it is no longer possible to explain social processes with the help of theoretical constructions of scientists of past centuries. Therefore, a new sociological paradigm should replace the picture of social reality that they have created, their ideas about the society.
