week 3 research paradigms Flashcards
two aspects of conceptualization of health
- personal trouble - lived experience
- public issue - understand social determinants that shape health
what is a paradigm?
refers to the assumptive base underlying a
particular investigation or enquiry that has been undertaken * i.e., Philosophical basis of a research project
reflects beliefs about what constitutes knowledge and how that knowledge is generated.
what is epistemology?
the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature and definition of knowledge and truth
what are the 3 types of epistemology?
- Positivism
- Interpretivism
- Critical realism
what is ontology
the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of reality.
what are the two types of ontology
Objectivism
* Constructionism
what is methodology
approach to data collection and analysis
what are the two types of methodology?
qualitative
quantitative
what is positivism?
branch of epistemology
- views scientific data as neutral and unbiased
Emphasizes:
* rigorous measurement of variables
* testing of hypotheses
* analysis of cause-effect relationships
* the generation of laws and principles
what are the main methods of positivist research
Epidemiological study designs, such as
* randomized controlled trials
* cohort studies
* cross sectional studies
* Survey research
* Secondary document analysis, such as
* content analysis
* Structured interviewing
* Systematic reviews, such as * meta-analysis
features of positivist research
- determinism - Phenomena can be predicted from a knowledge of scientific
laws - objectivity
- quantification
- reliability
- generalizability
pros of positivism
Positivist designs use consistent and relatively
concrete outcome measures
*
Techniques of randomization and blinding are
effective means of reducing bias
cons of positivism
Many questions about health cannot be addressed with a positivist approach
* For example, questions surrounding “why”
Some have argued that positivist quantitative research designs give insufficient attention to a person’s lived experience
Difficulties remain in dissecting and categorizing life circumstances
what is interpretivism?
the purpose of research is to understand how people make sense of their situation/circumstance.
* Valid knowledge and truth is subjective in
nature!
* Focuses on the interpretations of respondents
rather than on seeking to measure or categorize behaviour or attitudes
features of interpretism
- objectivity and scientific process is not neutral
-less formal methods - not concerned with interference or social relations
- research is not always replicable
High on validity, not necessarily on reliability
types of interpretivist research
- In-depth, semi-structured or unstructured interviews
- Observation
- Participatory or Non-participatory
- Focus groups
- Among others
pros of interpretivism
- less likely to get stuck -
- new ideas
-acknowledge conflict and struggle - is about subjectivity and complexity
cons of interpretivist approaches
- There is little consensus on appropriate methods of data collection and analysis
- Qualitative researchers must not attempt to make unjustified generalizations from a small number of accounts
- Qualitative researchers may adopt convenience sampling strategies that are biased
- Informants’ accounts may not be so much uncovered as created by the researcher
what is critical realism?
Argues that valid knowledge and truth is often generated by theorizing rather than measuring or observing.A critique of both interpretivism and positivism:
* Argues that interpretivism in not capable of going beyond the stated narratives of individuals
* Goes beyond reality of measurement of positivism and calls for theoretical analysis of “generative mechanisms” (big structural forces e.g. alienation, exploitation)
what is objectivism?
Objectivism holds that researchers study phenomena that exist as external objects
* e.g., height, weight, blood pressure, age
* There is a logical connection to positivist
epistemology (scientific method, measurement)
what is constructionism
Constructionism holds that researchers study
socially constructed objects (i.e., beliefs,
ideologies, behaviours)
* Individuals actively negotiate meaning
There is a logical connection to interpretivist
epistemology (seeks subjective understanding, personal accounts)
what is qualitative methodology closely aligned with
the interpretivist epistemology and constructivist ontology.
* Research questions are concerned with meaning
* Generates descriptive narratives
what is quantitative methodology closely aligned with
Quantitative tradition relies on numeric data and statistical analysis
* Aligned with positivist epistemology and objectivist ontology
