Philisophical Worldviews Flashcards
What is a philosophical worldview?
Researcher’s basic set of beliefs about the general orientation of the world and the nature of research
What are two terms related to philosophical worldviews?
Ontology and epistemology
What is ontology?
Researcher’s belief in the nature of truth and reality, or general orientation to the world (e.g., believing in objective reality separate from our own existence)
- what we believe is true
What is epistemology?
Researcher’s belief about how we acquire knowledge about truth and reality, or the nature of research
- how we study something
What are 5 worldviews?
-postpositivism
-constructivism
-transformative
-pragmatism
-two-eyed seeing
Postpositivism?
- based on notion of a single reality and “objective truth”
- should be unbiased and objective
- associated with scientific method (e.g., experiments, surveys)
- if all did same experiment, same result
Thomas et al.’s scientific method?
- Developing the problem (identify IV and DV)
- Formulating the hypothesis
- Gathering the data (internal and external validity)
- Analyzing and interpreting the results
Constructivism?
Based on notion of multiple realities and meanings as varied and multiple (each persons experience is different)
- see scientific method as reductionistic
- focus on complexity of views
- analytical lens of researcher is strength
Pragmatism?
Based on notion that researcher needs to be concerned with “what works” and solutions to problems
- no commitment to one single notion of reality
- researcher uses whatever methods work best
- quant., qual., mixed
Transformative?
Based on notion that research needs to be intertwined with politics and political agenda
- focus of action that might change lives of participants in study
- work collaboratively with participants
- need to make participants lives better
Two-eyed seeing?
Belief many ways of understanding world
- some represented by indigenous knowledge systems or European derived sciences
- “bringing together” knowledge from strength of indigenous ways and of western ways of knowing
What are the components of a research design?
Philisophical worldviews, research approach, research methods
What research design corresponds with postpositivism?
Quantitative
What research design corresponds with constructivism?
Qualitative
What research design corresponds with transformative?
Quantitative or qualitative or mixed methods
