fieldm2 Flashcards
- the study of being which is concerned with what actually exists in the world about which humans can acquire knowledge. Is a system of belief that reflects an interpretation by an individual about what constitutes a fact
Ontology
TWO DOMINANT POSITIONS WITHIN ONTOLOGY
the researcher views the world as existing
separately from humans and their interpretations of it.
Realist ontology:
- how we view the world
Ontology
TWO DOMINANT POSITIONS WITHIN ONTOLOGY
is based on the philosophy that reality is
constructed within the human mind, such that no one ‘true’
reality exists.
Relativist ontology
- how we should investigate the world
Epistemology
- details of exactly how we collect data
Methods
- how we should best collect data
Methodology
- is a way of looking at the world and making sense of it. It involves knowledge and, necessarily, it embodies a certain understanding of what that knowledge entails.
- How can I know reality?
- The belief that reality needs to be interpreted to discover the underlying meaning
- Knowledge should be examined using whatever tools are best suited to solve the problem
Epistemology
represented the traditional form of research, and these assumptions hold true more for quantitative research than qualitative research.
- hold a deterministic philosophy in which causes (probably) determine effects or outcomes.
- knowledge is based on careful observation and measurement of the objective reality that exists “out there in the world”
- there are laws or theories that govern the world, and these need to be tested or verified and refined so that we can understand the world
Postpositivist worldview -
Key assumptions of Postpositivist Worldview
1. Knowledge is conjectural (and antifoundational)—absolute
truth can never be found.
2. Research is the process of making claims and then refining or
abandoning some of them for other claims more strongly
warranted.
3. Data, evidence, and rational considerations shape
knowledge.
4. Research seeks to develop relevant, true statements, ones that
can serve to explain the situation of concern or that describe
the causal relationships of interest.
5. Being objective is an essential aspect of competent inquiry;
researchers must examine methods and conclusions for bias.
Key assumptions of Postpositivist Worldview
1. Knowledge is conjectural (and antifoundational)—absolute
truth can never be found.
2. Research is the process of making claims and then refining or
abandoning some of them for other claims more strongly
warranted.
3. Data, evidence, and rational considerations shape
knowledge.
4. Research seeks to develop relevant, true statements, ones that
can serve to explain the situation of concern or that describe
the causal relationships of interest.
5. Being objective is an essential aspect of competent inquiry;
researchers must examine methods and conclusions for bias.
- is often combined with interpretivism and is typically seen as an approach to qualitative research
- believe that individuals seek understanding of the world in which they live and work
- the questions become broad and general so that the participants can construct the meaning of a situation
The constructivist worldview/ social constructivism
Key assumptions of Constructivist Worldview
- Human beings construct meanings as
they engage with the world they are
interpreting. - Humans engage with their world and
make sense of it based on their historical
and social perspectives—we are all
born into a world of meaning bestowed
upon us by our culture. - The basic generation of meaning is
always social, arising in and out of
interaction with a human community.
Key assumptions of Constructivist Worldview
- Human beings construct meanings as
they engage with the world they are
interpreting. - Humans engage with their world and
make sense of it based on their historical
and social perspectives—we are all
born into a world of meaning bestowed
upon us by our culture. - The basic generation of meaning is
always social, arising in and out of
interaction with a human community.
- hold that research needs to be entwined with a political agenda that may change the lives of participants, institutions, and the researcher’s life.
- address issues of empowerment, inequality, oppression, domination, suppression, alienation
- focuses on the needs of groups and individuals in our society that may be marginalized or disenfranchised
- Provides a voice for participants, raising consciousness and advancing an agenda for change to improve their lives.
The transformative worldview
Key features of Transformative Worldview
- It places central importance on the study of lives and
experiences of diverse groups that have traditionally been
marginalized. - In studying these diverse groups, the research focuses on
inequities based on gender, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual
orientation, and socioeconomic class that result in asymmetric
power relationships. - The research in the transformative worldview links political and
social action to these inequities. - Transformative research uses a program theory of beliefs about
how a program works and why the problems of oppression,
domination, and power relationships exist.
Key features of Transformative Worldview
- It places central importance on the study of lives and
experiences of diverse groups that have traditionally been
marginalized. - In studying these diverse groups, the research focuses on
inequities based on gender, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual
orientation, and socioeconomic class that result in asymmetric
power relationships. - The research in the transformative worldview links political and
social action to these inequities. - Transformative research uses a program theory of beliefs about
how a program works and why the problems of oppression,
domination, and power relationships exist.
- arises out of actions, situations, and consequences rather than antecedent conditions (as in post positivism)
- instead of focusing on methods, researchers emphasize the research problem and question and use all approaches available to understand the problem
Pragmatic Worldview
