Paradigm beliefs, assumptions and legitimate techniques for carrying out research

Activity 1: What paradigm best represents your research assumptions and what methodological choices will you therefore make?
Reflecting on these paradigm assumptions, draw a table indicating your topic, research questions/hypothesis, paradigm assumptions and
1.Positivism/Empiricism 2. Interpretivism/ 4. Critical social theory
3.Constructionism/Constructivism
Paradigm/social constructionism
- There is foundation of
pure fact that can be
turned to for questions
of truth.
- Interested in controlling
events
- Neutral
observations/spectator
position
- Social life is structured
by law like regularities
(Allen et al; 1986, P.24)-
Application of methods
of natural sciences to
the study of social
reality (Bryman, 2008)
- Relationship between
cause and effect (if X
then Y)
- Uses non flexible
manipulative
methodology and
empirical methods
- Uses factor Analysis and
questionaires
- - Evidence is always social
- The world is defined subjectively
(phenomenology)
- There are multiple realities and
reality is socially constructed -
and is influenced by history,
culture, time, and context
- Relationship between
- Many interpretations of reality
can be made therefore there is
need to re-represent individual
constructions
- Participatory interest (Being in
the world, Heidegger,
1962:P.227
- Social life is structured by
meaning and social interaction
- Relationship between meanings
and embodied activity (Allen et
al, 1986, P.34)
- Difference between explaining
physical events and human
activity
- Evidence is always social
- Emancipatory interest and
raising public
consciousness
Social life is structured by
meanings
meanings including
embodied activity) and
power
- Difference between
explaining physical events
and human activity
- Knowledge is contextual
not universal. It is created
not discovered.
- Interpretation, grounded on
language theory cannot be
separated from value
- Theory explicates shared
meaning and the manner in
- No difference between - Knowledge is transacted. The which they limit autonomy
explaining physical individual both constitutes and is
events and human constituted by the situation - Rejection of positivism
activity as both can be (Allen et al. 1986, P.28). (Agger 2006)
measured using tools
which produce - Interpretation, grounded on - Combination of
generalisable language, cultural practices and interpretations and
observations interaction explanation

- Knowledge is universal - Symbolic interactionism -The purpose of research is not

to be discovered only to understand reality, but
also to change it
- Research is about - Theory cannot be separated from
generating time and value, theory and ‘a skeletal’
context free deprived view of reality that is
generalisations drawn from everyday practical
activity and knowledge, (Allen
- No place for et al 1986, P. 29.)
interpretation, measurable
hypotheses must be tested - Interpretation through
to make improvements in understanding the “other” other’s
theory. actions.

- Theory and value are two

separate entities - SShare a constructivist view of
epistemology

- Finding out the truth -Time bound context –based

should be value – free interpretations

- Theory explains and

predicts in order to
 control, determine, model
etc

-Explanation through causal

analysis based on invariant
laws.
Methodology[i.e., research approach, design, methods,…]
References
Allen, D, Banner, P. & Dickelmann N.L. (1986). Three paradigms for nursing research: Methodological implications. In Nursing Research
Methodology: Issues and implementation (Chinn P.L. ed) Aspen Publishers Inc; Rockville, N.D, PP. 23-38.

Bryman, A. (2008) Social Research methods. Oxford University Press, Oxford

Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K.(2008) Research methods in Education. Routledge, NewYork

Giorgi A. (2000). Description versus interpretation: Competing alternatives strategies for qualitative research. Journal of phenomenological
psychology 23, 119-135.

Geudegger, M. (1962). Being and time. Blackwell Publishers, oxford.

Guba, E.G. & Lincoln, Y.S. (1984). Fourth Generation Evaluation, Sage, Newbury park, CA

Silverman D. (1994), interpreting qualitative data: Methods, for analysing talk, text and interaction. Sage Publications, London.