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An A-Z Guide to Understanding Paradigm and Paradigm Shifts

Physicist and historian of science Thomas Kuhn was among the most influential philosophers of the 20th century. In 1962, Kuhn released his first book, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, which transformed how scientists thought about the philosophy of science. In his work, Kuhn discussed paradigms and paradigm shifts, the philosophies that would venture beyond the world of academia and became a part of pop culture. Kuhn used the term "paradigm shift" to explain his views about how he thought science changed over time.

Kuhn talked about two kinds of scientific change – (1) incremental developments in "normal science” and (2) scientific revolutions between the stable periods. This is where he coined the term "paradigm shift" to explain how scientific revolutions are more than a matter of incremental advance.

Today, the concept of paradigms and paradigm shifts are used beyond the realm of science, becoming an indispensable part of business, social movements, and psychology. So, what is a paradigm or a paradigm shift? Let us find out:

What are Paradigm and Paradigm Shifts?

According to Thomas Kuhn, science does not progress linearly by accumulating theory-independent facts. As per his study deep into the history of science, science does not progress stage by stage due to neutral observations. So, what do you mean by paradigm?

For Kuhn, the history of science involves a worldview or a "paradigm". A paradigm is a scientific achievement that is universally recognizable for a period for providing solutions to model problems to a community of practitioners.

Scientists consider a paradigm dominant until they are confronted with anomalies. Once that happens, scientists question the basis of a paradigm, making ways for new theories to challenge the dominant paradigm. Eventually, one of these new theories is accepted as the new and advanced paradigm.

During different periods in psychology or science, few perspectives change due to the shift in the thinking or approach of researchers. This is known as a paradigm shift. To define it coherently, a paradigm shift can be defined as "a pertinent change occurring when the usual way of doing something or its perspective is replaced by a new way."

That’s not all about paradigms and a shift in them. If you want to learn more about the philosophy, get in touch with us for on-time delivery of accurate solutions.

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What is an Example of Paradigm Shift in Psychology Research?

Does the concept of paradigm shifts prove what Kuhn had in mind while measuring scientific change? This is a tricky question right there because the definition of a paradigm is technical, even somewhat obscure. Moreover, there are several ways to define a paradigm. In 1970, Margaret Masterson published a paper where she presented her detailed insights from Kuhn's book. She identified 21 different ways in which Thomas Kuhn used the term paradigm.

Let us study the various definitions using examples.

• At first, Thomas Kuhn defines a paradigm as a special kind of achievement.
• Here, Kuhn introduces a paradigm as a classic example of something that is "sufficiently unprecedented to attract an enduring group of adherents away from competing modes of scientific activity.”.
• However, Kuhn again goes on to say that a paradigm is a case that is "sufficiently open-ended to leave all sorts of problems for the redefined group of practitioners to resolve."
• Kuhn also refers to achievements that share the above two characteristics as 'paradigms.'
• As you read further into Kuhn’s book, you find out more about the general epistemological viewpoints of paradigms.
• This includes a philosophical paradigm that Descartes initiated.

Kuhn also defines certain paradigms as a broad sweep of reality that determines a larger experience at a time.

If you are still perplexed due to the clashing ideas of a paradigm, feel free to lean on our assignment writing services . Use our solutions as study material to wrap your head around the concepts.

Why are Paradigm Shifts Important? Kuhn's Phases of Science

According to Thomas Kuhn, the knowledge that did not evolve could be divided into four main phases, which may not be considered scientific. Read on to know more about the phases:

Phase 1: Pre-science

• The pre-paradigmatic state is a period that comes before researchers reach a scientific consensus.
• It can be classified as a diverse and disorganised activity.
• There is a constant debate over the fundamentals in this phase.
• Several theorists come up with various theories.
• There is no commonly accepted observational agenda.

Phase 2: Normal Science

• In this phase, a paradigm is established to lay the foundations for legitimate advancement within the discipline.
• Scientists then move on to articulate a paradigm and solve the puzzles that it throws in the way.
• The paradigm is considered a conventional basis for research – something to set a precedent.
• Puzzles that resist solutions are seen as anomalies.
• The anomalies that do not reject the theory are considered by scientists that they can explain over time.
• Scientists spend a lot of time using the Model Drift step to battle anomalies without acknowledging them as paradigm shifts.

As per Kuhn, Normal Science is the activity in which most scientists spend their time. Normal science is predicted with the assumption that the psychological research community knows how the human mind works. The most important thing in this phase is the researching community's willingness to defend an assumption.

Phase 3: Crisis

• This is the stage where a paradigm finally shifts.
• Anomalies develop into a crisis that goes beyond the basic assumptions of the paradigm.
• Researchers attempt to remove the anomalies but consistently fail.
• Under these circumstances, the application rules for a paradigm become relaxed, giving rise to ideas that challenge the existing paradigm.
• If the researchers and scientists successfully resolve the anomalies, normal science resumes once the crisis is over.
• If not, this leads to a scientific revolution involving a paradigm shift.

Phase 4: Revolution

• Eventually, a new paradigm is established, irrespective of a logical justification.
• The reasons for choosing a particular paradigm involve psychological and sociological factors.
• The new paradigm explains the observations better, thus offering a solution model that is closer to reality.
• Different paradigms are incommensurable. Therefore, a new paradigm can never be proven or disproven using the tenets of an old paradigm and vice versa.
• There is no standardized scale that is fit enough for ranking different paradigms.

That was all about the phases of a paradigm shift, according to Kuhn. If you want to know or learn more about it, contact the expert psychologists and subject matter experts today!

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Why are Paradigm Shifts Important?

Let us understand this by reflecting on Masterson’s questions about Kuhn’s general notion of a paradigm.

Is Thomas Kuhn just a philosopher and historian-poet who described different happenings occurring in the course of the history of science using the same word "paradigm"?

If we distil Kuhn's 21 types of paradigms, we can narrow the types down to three new and essential aspects of Thomas Kuhn's "paradigm view" of psychology. Quite often, our minds take another course. If you ask yourself why, you may not find any particular logical explanation for it.

This is what Kuhn’s paradigm shift theory aims to answer to an extent. The main motive of Kuhn was to blur the line between what is logical and what the human mind cannot fathom.

However, that doesn’t change the fact that Kuhn’s meaning of paradigm shift has an expansive set of meanings. That makes it relevant yet difficult to ascertain or decipher.

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