eBook Chapter 2

Question 1

paradigm

Answer 1

world view, a general perspective on the complexities of the world
paradigms for human inquire are often characterized in terms of the ways in which they respond to the basic philosophical question, such as “what is the nature of reality?” and “what is the relationship between the inquirer and those being studied?”

Disciplined inquiry in nursing has been conducted mainly within two broad paradigms: POSITIVISM and CONSTRUCTIVISM

Question 2

positivist paradigm

Answer 2

a fundamental assumption of positivists is that there is a reality out there that can be studied and known.
An assumption in a basic principle that is believe to be true without proof.
adherents of positivism assume that nature is basically ordered and regular and that reality exists independent of human observation.

Much research activity is aimed at understanding the underlying causes of the phenomena.

Value objectivity and attempt to hold personal belief and biases in check.

Scientific approach involves using orderly procedures with tight controls of the research situation to test hunches about the phenomena being studied.

Question 3

determinism

Answer 3

a positivists’ believ that phenomena are not haphazard but rather bave antecedent causes.

Ex: if a person has a CVA a positivist assumes that there must be a reason that can be potentially identifiable.

Question 4

postpositivist paradigm

Answer 4

there is a belief in reality and a desire to understand it, but postpositivists recognize the impossibility of total objectivity.

Question 5

Constructivist paradigm

Answer 5

AKA naturalisitc paradigm

emphasis on the value of deconstruction- taking apart old ideas and structures and reconstruction- putting ideas and structures together in new ways.

represents a major alternative system for conducting disciplined research in nursing.

reality is not a fixed entitity but rather a construction of the people participating in the research; reality exists within a context, and many constructions are possible.

Naturalists thus take the position of relativism: if there are multiple interpretations of reality that exist in people’s minds, then there is no process by which the ultimate truth or fasity of the constructions can be determined.

Knowledge is maximized when the distance between the research and those under study is minimized.

The voices and the interpretations of the study participants are crucial to understanding the phenomenon of interest.

Findings in a constructivist inquires are the product of interaction between inquirer and participants.