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    Abstraction: Lesson 1: Philosophical Worldviews in Research

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    Kayla Marie Cago
    This document discusses three main philosophical worldviews or research paradigms: positivism, interpretivism, and critical theory. It defines key terms like paradigm, epistemology, and ontology. For each paradigm, it provides the ontological and epistemological assumptions and examples of common methodologies and methods. Positivism assumes an objective reality discovered through scientific methods. Interpretivism sees multiple subjective realities socially constructed. Critical theory views reality as shaped by social values and aims to expose injustice. The document also discusses criticisms of each paradigm and defines mixed methods research.

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    Abstraction: Lesson 1: Philosophical Worldviews in Research

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    Kayla Marie Cago
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    This document discusses three main philosophical worldviews or research paradigms: positivism, interpretivism, and critical theory. It defines key terms like paradigm, epistemology, and ontology. For each paradigm, it provides the ontological and epistemological assumptions and examples of common methodologies and methods. Positivism assumes an objective reality discovered through scientific methods. Interpretivism sees multiple subjective realities socially constructed. Critical theory views reality as shaped by social values and aims to expose injustice. The document also discusses criticisms of each paradigm and defines mixed methods research.

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    This document discusses three main philosophical worldviews or research paradigms: positivism, interpretivism, and critical theory. It defines key terms like paradigm, epistemology, and ontology. For each paradigm, it provides the ontological and epistemological assumptions and examples of common methodologies and methods. Positivism assumes an objective reality discovered through scientific methods. Interpretivism sees multiple subjective realities socially constructed. Critical theory views reality as shaped by social values and aims to expose injustice. The document also discusses criticisms of each paradigm and defines mixed methods research.

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    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    47 views4 pages

    Abstraction: Lesson 1: Philosophical Worldviews in Research

    Uploaded by

    Kayla Marie Cago
    This document discusses three main philosophical worldviews or research paradigms: positivism, interpretivism, and critical theory. It defines key terms like paradigm, epistemology, and ontology. For each paradigm, it provides the ontological and epistemological assumptions and examples of common methodologies and methods. Positivism assumes an objective reality discovered through scientific methods. Interpretivism sees multiple subjective realities socially constructed. Critical theory views reality as shaped by social values and aims to expose injustice. The document also discusses criticisms of each paradigm and defines mixed methods research.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 4

    Lesson 1: Philosophical Worldviews in Research

    Abstraction
    1. What is research? What is its nature?
     Research is a systematic and methodical process that investigates a
    phenomenon, addresses an issue, answers a particular question and solves
    problems, all of which help increase existing knowledge (Sekaran, 1992: 4). Also
    simply means finding answers to our questions around us. Research enables us
    to see and understand how and why a situation or a problem. It helps us to
    discover new things and ideas.
    2. What are the three philosophical world views or research paradigms?
     The three philosophical world view or research paradigms are Positivistic,
    Interpretive, and Critical paradigms.
    3. What is a paradigm? What is a research paradigm?
     Kuhn defines paradigm as “an integrated cluster of substantive concepts,
    variables and problems attached with corresponding methodological approaches
    and tools” (cited in Flick, 2009). A research paradigm is “the set of common
    beliefs and agreements shared between scientist about how problems should be
    understood and addressed” (Kuhn, 1970)
    4. What do we mean by epistemology? Compare epistemology with ontology and discuss
    the difference between these two terms.
     Epistemology is the study of knowledge. The meaning exclusively rests in
    objects, not in the researcher‟s consciousness, of those objects and the
    researcher aims to obtain that meaning (Crotty, 1998). While ontology is the
    study of beings or their being. This is also evident from the researchers‟ claim
    that human beings could be studied as a scientific entity in a world that exists
    independent of human consciousness (Cohen et al., 2007, Grix, 2004 and Crotty,
    2003).
    5. What are the ontological, epistemological description of each of the three research
    paradigms? Prepare a matrix describing each research paradigm.

    Ontological Epistemological

    Positivist For a positivist, ). The


    reality is "out epistemology of
    there" in the the positivist
    world paradigm is
    independent of dualist and
    the researcher objectivist, in
    (Pring, 2000a, p. which the
    59) and investigator and
    essentially the investigated
    discovered exist as
    through scientific independent
    and conventional entities and the
    methodologies former is able to
    (Guba & Lincoln, study the object
    1994: Bassey, or the
    1995). investigated
    without
    influencing each
    other (Guba &
    Lincoln, 1994).
    Interpretive Ontology of Interpretivism
    interpretive espouses
    paradigm is subjective and
    relativist. Realities transactional
    exist in the form epistemology,
    of multiple and therefore, the
    intangible mental inquirer and the
    constructions that inquired are fused
    are based on into a single
    experience, local (monistic) entity
    and specific in and their
    nature and interaction leads
    dependent for to certain
    their form and findings.
    content on the Subjectivity
    persons or groups serves as the only
    holding the means of
    constructions answering the
    (Guba & Lincoln, constructions kept
    1994). by the individuals
    Interpretivists do which is thrust
    not believe that upon us by
    reality is "out human
    there”, rather conditions.
    they view it as
    socially
    constructed.
    Critical Historical realism The epistemology
    is the ontological of the critical
    stance of the paradigm is
    critical theorists. transactional and
    Reality is shaped subjectivist which
    by social, political, is based on real
    cultural, ethnic world phenomena
    and gender and associated
    values; that was with societal
    deemed plastic knowledge.
    once and has
    become
    crystallized over
    time (ibid).

    6. Discuss the different methodologies and methods under each of the research paradigms.
    Prepare also a matrix for this.

    Positivist Positivist methodology is concerned with


    explaining relationships among various
    phenomena. The scientific paradigm seeks
    predictions and generalisations, so different
    methods often generate quantitative data.
    Examples are: experiments, quasi-
    experiments, standardised tests, scales,
    questionnaires, closed ended questionnaires,
    structured interviews and descriptions of
    phenomena employing standardised
    observation tools (Pring, 2000, p. 34).
    However, it is on the researchers‟ discretion to
    choose a method appropriate to their
    paradigmatic stance and design of the study to
    present and analyse the data statistically
    (Bryman, 2008; Creswell, 2009).
    Interpretive Interpretive methodology seeks an
    understanding of phenomena from
    individual‟s perspective, investigating
    interaction among individuals as well as the
    historical and cultural contexts which people
    inhabit (Creswell, 2009, p. 8). The qualitative
    aspect of these techniques presents human beings as
    the primary research instrument. These technique
    include phenomenology, grounded theory,
    ethnography, case study, historical and
    documentary research and ethno-
    methodology.

    Critical Critical methodology aims to interrogate values


    and assumptions, to expose hegemony and
    injustice, to challenge conventional social
    structures and to engage in social action
    (Crotty, 1998, p. 157). Critical researchers may
    adopt qualitative, quantitative or mixed
    methods to design their research studies in
    order to critically examine the realities from a
    cultural, historical and political stance.
    Triangulation can be used to obtain more valid
    and reliable results (Mertens, 2005).

    7. What are the criticisms of each of the research paradigms? Discuss each of these.
     Positivist paradigm-
     Interpretive paradigm
     Critical paradigm
    8. What is mixed method approach in research?

    Application. Study the following research abstract and determine the paradigm that was
    used. Provide justification for your answer.

    1. Interpretive paradigm
    2. Interpretive paradigm
    3. Critical paradigm

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