Lesson 5: Philosophical Assumptions for Qualitative Research

Question 1

What is significant in any kind of endeavor whether it be work or a study?

Answer 1

The exposure to a certain set of beliefs as well as philosophical assumptions.

Question 2

What do qualitative researchers understand regarding philosophical assumptions?

Answer 2

They understand the importance of beliefs and theories that inform their work and also actively write about them in their works.

Question 3

What book did John Creswell write?

Answer 3

Qualutative Inquiry and Research Design

Question 4

How did John Creswell describe philosophical assumptions?

Answer 4

He describes these assumptions and frames them into interpretive frameworks so we can understand their significance to our own research.

Question 5

What do researchers do when they undertake in a study?

Answer 5

They are in effect agreeing to its underlying philosophical assumptions, while bringing to the study their own world views that end up shaping the direction of their research.

Question 6

What are the four philosophical assumptions that Creswell describes?

Answer 6

1. Ontological (the nature of the study)
2. Epistemological (how the researchers know what they know)
3. Axiological (the role of values in research)
4. Methodology (the methods used in the process of the research)

Question 7

What is the ontological philosophical assumption?

Answer 7

It relates to the nature of reality and its characteristics; researchers embrace the idea of multiple realities and report on these multiple realities by exploring multiple forms of evidence from different individuals’ perspectives and experiences.

Question 8

What is the epistemological philosophical assumption?

Answer 8

Researchers try to get as close as possible to participants being studied. Subjective evidence is assembled based on individual views from research conducted in the field.

Question 9

What is axiological?

Answer 9

Researchers make their values known in the study and actively reports their values and biases as well as the value-laden nature of information gathered from the field.

Question 10

What is methodology?

Answer 10

Inductive, emerging, and shaped by the researcher’s experience in collecting and analyzing the data.

Question 11

What can interpretetive frameworks be considered as?

Answer 11

A basic set of beliefs that guide action.

Question 12

What are the philosophical assumptions embedded in?

Answer 12

The philosophical assumptions (ontology, epistemology, axiology, and methodology) are embedded within interpretive frameworks that researchers use.

Question 13

What did Creswell suggest about interpretetive frameworks?

Answer 13

Creswell suggested interpretive frameworks may be social science theories (leadership, attribution, political influence and control, and many others) to frame the researcher’s theoretical lens in studies. On the other hand the theories may be social justice theories / advocacy / participatory, seeking to bring about change or address social issues in society.

Question 14

What are the approaches for postpositivism?

Answer 14

Scientific, Reductionism oriented, Cause/effect, a priori theories

Question 15

What is the approach for social constructivism?

Answer 15

The understanding of the world in which we live and work; the development of multiple meanings; the researchers look for complexity of viewpoints.

Question 16

What is the practice of social constructivism?

Answer 16

Researchers ask broad general open-ended questions; Focus on the ‘processes’ of interaction; Focus on historical and cultural settings of participants; Acknowledge their background shapes interpretation, ‘Interpret’ the meanings others have about the world.

Question 17

What is the approach of postmodernism perspectives?

Answer 17

Knowledge claims in multiple perspectives such as race, gender, class and group affiliations; Negative conditions revealed in presence of hierarchies, power, control, by individuals in the hierarchy and multiple meanings of language; different discourses; marginalized people that are important; Meta-narratives or universals hold true of the social conditions; Need to ‘deconstruct’ text to learn about hierarchies, oppositions and contradictions.

Question 18

What is the practice of postmodernism perspective?

Answer 18

Interpretive biography; Narrative; Grounded Theory; Ethnography

Question 19

What is the approach for pragmatism?

Answer 19

Focuses on outcomes; ‘What works’ to address research problem; Researchers freedom of choice of methods; Many approaches to collecting & analyzing data

Question 20

What is the practice of pragmatism?

Answer 20

Researchers use multiple methods to answer questions; Research is conducted that best addresses the research problem

Question 21

What is the approach of feminist theories?

Answer 21

Focus on women’s diverse situations; Subject matter focused on domination within patriarchal society; Lens focused on gender; Goals focused to establish collaborative relationships to place researcher within study - not objective, but transformative.

Question 22

What is the approach of the critical theory?

Answer 22

Focus concerned with empowering people to transcend constraints placed on them by race, class, and power; Interpret or illuminate social action; Themes include scientific study of institutions and their transformation through interpreting meanings of social life; historical problems; domination, alienation, and social struggles.

Question 23

What is the practice of the critical theory?

Answer 23

Focus on changes in how people think - encourage interaction, networks for ‘social theorizing’; Focus on use of intensive case study or historically comparative cases; Formation of formal models; Use of ‘ethnographic accounts’ (interpretive social psychology).

Question 24

What is the approach of critical race theory?

Answer 24

To present stories of discrimination; Eradicate racial subjugation while recognizing race is a social construct; Interact race with other inequalities such as gender and class.

Question 25

What is the practice of critical race theory?

Answer 25

Research places race and racism in the foreground of the research process; Research looks for ways to explain experiences; Research offers transformative solutions.

Question 26

What is the approach of queer theory?

Answer 26

Related to complexities of individual identity; Explores how identities reproduce and perform in social forums; Uses term ‘Queer Theory’ to allow incorporation of other social elements including race, class, age; Holds binary distinctions are inadequate to describe sexual identity.

Question 27

What is the practice of queer theory?

Answer 27

Uses postmodern or poststructural orientation to deconstruct dominant theories related to identity; Focuses on how identity is culturally linked to discourse and overlaps with human sexuality.

Question 28

What is the approach of disability theories?

Answer 28

Focus on addressing inclusion in schools, encompassing administrators, teachers, parents of children with disabilities; Focus on disability as a dimension of human difference rather than defect.

Question 29

What is the practice of disability theories?

Answer 29

Research process views individuals with disabilities as different; Questions asked, labels applied to these individuals, communication methods, and consideration of how data collected will benefit community considered; Data reported in respectful way.

Question 30

What interpretive framework uses the following approaches: Scientific, Reductionism oriented, Cause/effect, a priori theories?

Answer 30

Postpositivism

Question 31

What interpretive framework uses the following approaches: the understanding of the world in which we live and work, the development of multiple meanings, the researchers look for complexity of viewpoints?

Answer 31

Social constructivism

Question 32

What interpretive framework uses the following approaches: knowledge claims in multiple perspectives such as race, gender, class and group affiliations; Negative conditions revealed in presence of hierarchies, power, control, by individuals in the hierarchy and multiple meanings of language; different discourses; marginalized people that are important; Meta-narratives or universals hold true of the social conditions; Need to ‘deconstruct’ text to learn about hierarchies, oppositions and contradictions?

Answer 32

Postmodernism perspectives

Question 33

What interpretive framework uses the following approaches: To present stories of discrimination; Eradicate racial subjugation while recognizing race is a social construct; Interact race with other inequalities such as gender and class?

Answer 33

Critical Race Theory

Question 34

What interpretive framework uses the following approaches: Focuses on outcomes; ‘What works’ to address research problem; Researchers freedom of choice of methods; Many approaches to collecting & analyzing data?

Answer 34

Pragmatism

Question 35

What interpretive framework uses the following approaches: Focus on women’s diverse situations; Subject matter focused on domination within patriarchal society; Lens focused on gender; Goals focused to establish collaborative relationships to place researcher within study - not objective, but transformative?

Answer 35

Feminist Theories

Question 36

What interpretive framework uses the following approaches: Focus concerned with empowering people to transcend constraints placed on them by race, class, and power; Interpret or illuminate social action; Themes include scientific study of institutions and their transformation through interpreting meanings of social life; historical problems; domination, alienation, and social struggles?

Answer 36

Critical Theory

Question 37

What interpretive framework uses the following approaches: Related to complexities of individual identity; Explores how identities reproduce and perform in social forums; Uses term ‘Queer Theory’ to allow incorporation of other social elements including race, class, age; Holds binary distinctions are inadequate to describe sexual identity?

Answer 37

Queer Theory

Question 38

What interpretive framework uses the following approaches: Focus on addressing inclusion in schools, encompassing administrators, teachers, parents of children with disabilities; Focus on disability as a dimension of human difference rather than defect?

Answer 38

Disability Theories

Question 39

What interpretive framework uses the following practices: Inquiry in logically related steps; Multiple perspectives from participants not single reality; Rigorous data collection and analysis; Use of computer programs?

Answer 39

Postpositivism

Question 40

What interpretive framework uses the following practices: Researchers ask broad general open-ended questions; Focus on the ‘processes’ of interaction; Focus on historical and cultural settings of participants; Acknowledge their background shapes interpretation, ‘Interpret’ the meanings others have about the world?

Answer 40

Social constructivism

Question 41

What interpretive framework uses the following practices: Interpretive biography; Narrative; Grounded Theory; Ethnography?

Answer 41

Postmodernism Perspectives

Question 42

What interpretive framework uses the following practices: Researchers use multiple methods to answer questions; Research is conducted that best addresses the research problem?

Answer 42

Pragmatism

Question 43

What interpretive framework uses the following practices: The need to examine researchers background to determine validity and trustworthiness of accounts; The need to report womens’ voices without exploiting them; The need to use methods in self-disclosing & respectful way?

Answer 43

Feminist Theories

Question 44

What interpretive framework uses the following practices: Focus on changes in how people think - encourage interaction, networks for ‘social theorizing’; Focus on use of intensive case study or historically comparative cases; Formation of formal models; Use of ‘ethnographic accounts’ (interpretive social psychology)?

Answer 44

Critical Theory

Question 45

What interpretive framework uses the following practices: Research places race and racism in the foreground of the research process; Research looks for ways to explain experiences; Research offers transformative solutions?

Answer 45

Critical Race Theory

Question 46

What interpretive framework uses the following practices: Uses postmodern or poststructural orientation to deconstruct dominant theories related to identity; Focuses on how identity is culturally linked to discourse and overlaps with human sexuality?

Answer 46

Queer Theory

Question 47

What interpretive framework uses the following practices: Research process views individuals with disabilities as different; Questions asked, labels applied to these individuals, communication methods, and consideration of how data collected will benefit community considered; Data reported in respectful way?

Answer 47

Disability Theories

Question 48

What are the nine interpretive frameworks?

Answer 48

1. Postpositivism
2. Social constructivism
3. Postmodernism Perspectives
4. Pragmatism
5. Feminist Theories
6. Critical Theory
7. Critical Race Theory
8. Queer Theory
9. Disability Theories