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

3 research paradigms

Answer 2

1. Epistemology
2. Ontology
3. Methodology

Question 3

Epistemology

Answer 3

A branch of philosophy that is concerned with the nature of knowledge and truth

positivism, interpretivism, critical realism

Question 4

Ontology

Answer 4

A branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of reality

Objectivism and constructionism

Question 5

Methodology

Answer 5

approach to data collection and analysis

qualitative and quantitative

Question 6

Positivism

Answer 6

Branch of epistemology

Argues that valid knowledge and truth is generated through a scientific process based on observation/measurement and generalization

View ‘scientifically’ produced data as neutral and unbiased

Question 7

Positivism emphasises what?

Answer 7

• Measurement of variables
• Testing of hypotheses
• Analysis of cause-effect relationships
• The generation of laws and principles

Question 8

what are the main epidemiological methods of positivist research?

Answer 8

• RCT
• Cohort
• Cross sectional

Question 9

Features of positivist research

Answer 9

Determinism
- Phenomena can be predicted from a knowledge of scientific laws
Objectivity
- The researcher is separate and detached from the participant
Quantification
- Information is derived from what can be quantified
Reliability
- Through randomization the results are less likely to be biased
Generalizability
- Because the data is reliable and unbiased, the findings can be generalized to the target population

Question 10

Advantages of positivism

Answer 10

• consistent and relatively concrete outcomes measures
• techniques of randomization and blinding are effective means of reducing bias

Question 11

Disadvantages of positivism

Answer 11

• Many questions about health cannot be addressed (the “why”)
• Insufficient attention to a persons lived experience
• Difficulties remain in dissecting and categorizing life circumstances objectively

Question 12

interpretivism

Answer 12

• Branch of epistemology
• Understand how people make sense of their situation/circumstances
• Valid knowledge and truth is subjective in nature
• Focuses on the interpretations

Question 13

features of interpretivism

Answer 13

• objectivity and scientific process is not neutral
  -less formal methods
• research is not always replicable
• high on validity, not necessarily on reliability

Question 14

types of interpretivist research

Answer 14

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

Question 15

advantages of interpretivism

Answer 15

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

Question 16

disadvantages of interpretivism

Answer 16

• There is little consensus on appropriate methods of data collection and analysis
• Make unjustified generalizations
• May adopt convenience sampling strategies that are biased

Question 17

critical realism

Answer 17

• Branch of epistemology
• Argues that valid knowledge and truth is often generated by theorizing rather than measuring or observing
• Focus is on what we can theorize

Question 18

objectivism

Answer 18

• Branch of ontology
• study phenomena that exist as external objects (height, weight, blood pressure, age, etc)
• There is a logical connection to positivist epistemology

Question 19

constructionism

Answer 19

• Branch of ontology
• Holds that researchers study socially constructed objects (i.e., beliefs, ideologies, behaviours)
• There is a logical connection to interpretivist epistemology (seeks subjective understanding, personal accounts)

Question 20

what is qualitative methodology closely aligned with?

Answer 20

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

Question 21

what is quantitative methodology closely aligned with?

Answer 21

positivist epistemology and objectivist ontology

Quantitative tradition relies on numeric data and statistical analysis