week 3 research paradigms

Question 1

two aspects of conceptualization of health

Answer 1

• personal trouble - lived experience
• public issue - understand social determinants that shape health

Question 2

what is a paradigm?

Answer 2

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.

Question 3

what is epistemology?

Answer 3

the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature and definition of knowledge and truth

Question 4

what are the 3 types of epistemology?

Answer 4

• Positivism
• Interpretivism
• Critical realism

Question 5

what is ontology

Answer 5

the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of reality.

Question 6

what are the two types of ontology

Answer 6

Objectivism
* Constructionism

Question 7

what is methodology

Answer 7

approach to data collection and analysis

Question 8

what are the two types of methodology?

Answer 8

qualitative
quantitative

Question 9

what is positivism?

Answer 9

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

Question 10

what are the main methods of positivist research

Answer 10

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

Question 11

features of positivist research

Answer 11

1. determinism - Phenomena can be predicted from a knowledge of scientific
   laws
2. objectivity
3. quantification
4. reliability
5. generalizability

Question 12

pros of positivism

Answer 12

Positivist designs use consistent and relatively
concrete outcome measures

*
Techniques of randomization and blinding are
effective means of reducing bias

Question 13

cons of positivism

Answer 13

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

Question 14

what is interpretivism?

Answer 14

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

Question 15

features of interpretism

Answer 15

• 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

Question 16

types of interpretivist research

Answer 16

• In-depth, semi-structured or unstructured interviews
• Observation
• Participatory or Non-participatory
• Focus groups
• Among others

Question 17

pros of interpretivism

Answer 17

• less likely to get stuck -
• new ideas
  -acknowledge conflict and struggle
• is about subjectivity and complexity

Question 18

cons of interpretivist approaches

Answer 18

• 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

Question 19

what is critical realism?

Answer 19

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)

Question 20

what is objectivism?

Answer 20

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)

Question 21

what is constructionism

Answer 21

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)

Question 22

what is qualitative methodology closely aligned with

Answer 22

the interpretivist epistemology and constructivist ontology.
* Research questions are concerned with meaning
* Generates descriptive narratives

Question 23

what is quantitative methodology closely aligned with

Answer 23

Quantitative tradition relies on numeric data and statistical analysis
* Aligned with positivist epistemology and objectivist ontology