Research Paradigms
Jun. 14th, 2009 01:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
prkNotes for myself on selection of research methodology.
"A paradigm may be viewed as set of basic beliefs (or metaphysics) that deals with ultimates or first principles. It represents a worldview that defines, for its holder, the nature of the "word," the individual's place in it, and the range of possible relationships to that world and its parts, as, for examples, cosmologies and theologies do. The beliefs are basic in the sense that they must be accepted simply on faith (however well argued); there is no way to establish their ultimate truthfulness."
"Inquiry paradigms define for inquirers what it is they are about, and what falls within and outside the limits of legitimate inquiry. The basic beliefs that define inquiry paradigms can be summarized by the responses .. to three fundamental questions, which are interconnected in such a way that the answer given to any one question, taken in any order, constrains how the others may be answered."
The ontological question - what is the form and nature of reality, and thus what can be known about it? Eg if a 'real' world is assumed, then what we can know is 'how things really are' and 'how things really work' thus only questions on 'real' existence and 'real' action are are admissible; other questions (eg aestehtics, morals, etc) are outside the realm of legitimate scientific inquiry.
The epistemological question - what is the nature of the relationship between the inquirer and what can be known. In a 'real' reality, the inquirer must be objectively detached to discover 'how things really are' and 'how things really work'. If not being objectively detached influenced reality, then the ontology 'breaks' - it's not 'real' if it can be changed by the inquirer. Conversely, an assumption of an objectivist approach implies the existence of a 'real' world to be objective about.
The methodological question - how can the inquirer go about finding out what they believe can be known. A 'real' reality pursued by an 'objective' inquirer mandates control of possible confounding factors. Conversely, an experiment implies the ability to be objective and a real world to be objective about. Methods must be fitted to a predetermined methodology.
Paradigms:
Positivism
- Ontology - 'Naive realism'. Context free, true state of affairs, often cause and effect laws. Posture is reductionish and deterministic.
- Epistemology - Dualist and objectivist' - inquirer is independent detached observer from the object, able to study object without influencing it or by being influenced by it. One way mirror observation.
- Methodology - Experimental and manipulative - questions / hypotheses stated in propositional form and empirically tested to verify them. Possible confounding conditions carefully controlled (manipulated) to prevent outcomes from being improperly influenced.
Postpositivism
- Ontology - Critical realism - Reality exists but can only be imperfectly apprehended due to imperfection of human intellect and intractable nature of phenomena. Posture that reality must be subjected to widest possible critical examination to facilitate apprehending reality as closely as possible (but never perfectly).
- Epistemology - Modified dualist / objectivist. Dualism is largely abandoned as not possible to maintain, but objectivity is the ideal. Special emphasis on external 'guardians' of objectivity such as critical traditions and critical community. Replicated findings are probably true, but always subject to falsification.
- Methodology - Modified experimental / manipulative - emphasis on critical multiplism (similar to triangulation) to falisfy hypotheses. Methodology aims to compensate for flaws in positivism by inquiring in more natural settings, collecting more situational info and reintroducing discovery as an element, soliciting emic (insider) viewpoints to assist in determining meanings.
Critical Theory
- Ontology - Historical realism - reality is apprehendable as it has been shaped, over time, by social, political, cultural, economic, ethnic and gender factors until it crystallised into a series of structures now considered (inappropriately) real (natural and immutable). Fro all purposes, the structures are 'real'.
- Epistemology - Transactional and subjectivist - Investigator and investigated object are assumed to be interactively linked, with values of investigator inevitably influencing the inquiry. Findings are therefore value mediated. Intertwines ontology and epistemology.
- Methodology - Dialogic and dialectical - dialogue between investigator and subjects of inquiry. Dialectical to transform ignorance and misapprehensions into more informed consciousness.
Constructivism
- Ontology - Relativist - realities are apprehendable in the form of multiple, intangible mental constructions, socially and experientially based, local and specific in nature (although elements are often shared), and dependent for their form and content on the individual persons or groups holding the constructions. Constructions are not more or less 'true' but more or less informed and/or sophisticated. Constructions are alterable as are their associated realities.
- Epistemology - Transactional and subjectivist - Investigator and object are linked, so findings are created as the investigation proceeds.
- Methodology - Hermeneutical and dialectical - The variable and personal nature of social constructions suggests that individual constructions can be elicited and refined only through interaction between and among investigator and respondents. Constructions are interpreted using conventional hermeneutical techniques and are compared and contrasted through a dialectical interchange. Final aim is to distil a consensus construction that is more informed and sophisticated than any of the predecessor constructions (including etic construction of investigator).
Participatory / Action Research
- Ontology - Participative Reality - subjective-objective reality, co-created by mind and given cosmos.
- Epistemology - Critical subjectivity - in participator transaction with cosmos, extended epistemology of experiential, propositional and practical knowing; co-created findings.
- Methodology - Political participation - collaborative action inquiry; primacy of the practical; use of language grounded in shared experiential context.
Guba and Lincoln as cited in Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (1998). The Landscape of Qualitative Research: Theories and Issues. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications
Guba and Lincoln as cited in Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2005). The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
So, looking at my proposed research:
- Purpose - Looking at the roles and behaviours of successful leaders of virtual teams.
- Ontology - Relativistic - definitely based on an intangible mental constructions, socially and experientially based, local and specific in nature, and dependent for their form and content on the individual persons or groups holding the constructions.
- Epistemology - Transactional and subjectivist - findings will be created as the investigation proceeds.
Research Paradigm looks like Constructivism, suggesting a hermeneutical and dialectical methodology.
"A paradigm may be viewed as set of basic beliefs (or metaphysics) that deals with ultimates or first principles. It represents a worldview that defines, for its holder, the nature of the "word," the individual's place in it, and the range of possible relationships to that world and its parts, as, for examples, cosmologies and theologies do. The beliefs are basic in the sense that they must be accepted simply on faith (however well argued); there is no way to establish their ultimate truthfulness."
"Inquiry paradigms define for inquirers what it is they are about, and what falls within and outside the limits of legitimate inquiry. The basic beliefs that define inquiry paradigms can be summarized by the responses .. to three fundamental questions, which are interconnected in such a way that the answer given to any one question, taken in any order, constrains how the others may be answered."
The ontological question - what is the form and nature of reality, and thus what can be known about it? Eg if a 'real' world is assumed, then what we can know is 'how things really are' and 'how things really work' thus only questions on 'real' existence and 'real' action are are admissible; other questions (eg aestehtics, morals, etc) are outside the realm of legitimate scientific inquiry.
The epistemological question - what is the nature of the relationship between the inquirer and what can be known. In a 'real' reality, the inquirer must be objectively detached to discover 'how things really are' and 'how things really work'. If not being objectively detached influenced reality, then the ontology 'breaks' - it's not 'real' if it can be changed by the inquirer. Conversely, an assumption of an objectivist approach implies the existence of a 'real' world to be objective about.
The methodological question - how can the inquirer go about finding out what they believe can be known. A 'real' reality pursued by an 'objective' inquirer mandates control of possible confounding factors. Conversely, an experiment implies the ability to be objective and a real world to be objective about. Methods must be fitted to a predetermined methodology.
Paradigms:
Positivism
- Ontology - 'Naive realism'. Context free, true state of affairs, often cause and effect laws. Posture is reductionish and deterministic.
- Epistemology - Dualist and objectivist' - inquirer is independent detached observer from the object, able to study object without influencing it or by being influenced by it. One way mirror observation.
- Methodology - Experimental and manipulative - questions / hypotheses stated in propositional form and empirically tested to verify them. Possible confounding conditions carefully controlled (manipulated) to prevent outcomes from being improperly influenced.
Postpositivism
- Ontology - Critical realism - Reality exists but can only be imperfectly apprehended due to imperfection of human intellect and intractable nature of phenomena. Posture that reality must be subjected to widest possible critical examination to facilitate apprehending reality as closely as possible (but never perfectly).
- Epistemology - Modified dualist / objectivist. Dualism is largely abandoned as not possible to maintain, but objectivity is the ideal. Special emphasis on external 'guardians' of objectivity such as critical traditions and critical community. Replicated findings are probably true, but always subject to falsification.
- Methodology - Modified experimental / manipulative - emphasis on critical multiplism (similar to triangulation) to falisfy hypotheses. Methodology aims to compensate for flaws in positivism by inquiring in more natural settings, collecting more situational info and reintroducing discovery as an element, soliciting emic (insider) viewpoints to assist in determining meanings.
Critical Theory
- Ontology - Historical realism - reality is apprehendable as it has been shaped, over time, by social, political, cultural, economic, ethnic and gender factors until it crystallised into a series of structures now considered (inappropriately) real (natural and immutable). Fro all purposes, the structures are 'real'.
- Epistemology - Transactional and subjectivist - Investigator and investigated object are assumed to be interactively linked, with values of investigator inevitably influencing the inquiry. Findings are therefore value mediated. Intertwines ontology and epistemology.
- Methodology - Dialogic and dialectical - dialogue between investigator and subjects of inquiry. Dialectical to transform ignorance and misapprehensions into more informed consciousness.
Constructivism
- Ontology - Relativist - realities are apprehendable in the form of multiple, intangible mental constructions, socially and experientially based, local and specific in nature (although elements are often shared), and dependent for their form and content on the individual persons or groups holding the constructions. Constructions are not more or less 'true' but more or less informed and/or sophisticated. Constructions are alterable as are their associated realities.
- Epistemology - Transactional and subjectivist - Investigator and object are linked, so findings are created as the investigation proceeds.
- Methodology - Hermeneutical and dialectical - The variable and personal nature of social constructions suggests that individual constructions can be elicited and refined only through interaction between and among investigator and respondents. Constructions are interpreted using conventional hermeneutical techniques and are compared and contrasted through a dialectical interchange. Final aim is to distil a consensus construction that is more informed and sophisticated than any of the predecessor constructions (including etic construction of investigator).
Participatory / Action Research
- Ontology - Participative Reality - subjective-objective reality, co-created by mind and given cosmos.
- Epistemology - Critical subjectivity - in participator transaction with cosmos, extended epistemology of experiential, propositional and practical knowing; co-created findings.
- Methodology - Political participation - collaborative action inquiry; primacy of the practical; use of language grounded in shared experiential context.
Guba and Lincoln as cited in Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (1998). The Landscape of Qualitative Research: Theories and Issues. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications
Guba and Lincoln as cited in Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2005). The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
So, looking at my proposed research:
- Purpose - Looking at the roles and behaviours of successful leaders of virtual teams.
- Ontology - Relativistic - definitely based on an intangible mental constructions, socially and experientially based, local and specific in nature, and dependent for their form and content on the individual persons or groups holding the constructions.
- Epistemology - Transactional and subjectivist - findings will be created as the investigation proceeds.
Research Paradigm looks like Constructivism, suggesting a hermeneutical and dialectical methodology.
