33,179 research outputs found
The role of philosophical context in the development of theory: Towards methodological pluralism
The research strategy dictates the major direction of the research and constitutes one of the important decisions made by the researcher. However, researchers’ understanding on theory at the outset of the research guides the design of the research. The paper presents an overview of the involvement of theory within different research philosophies, approaches and methods. The relationship between data and theory is an issue that has been long debated. Moving from data to theory is commonly discussed in social constructionism with inductive approach and ideographic methods. However, within positivism philosophy with deductive approach and nomothetic methods, moving from theory to data is common. However, the growing concept of philosophical pluralism and methodological pluralism challenges the polarised views on philosophies and approaches, which suggests that methodologies are best used in complementary way
The role of philosophical context in the development of research methodology and theory
The research strategy dictates the major direction of the research and constitutes one of the important decisions made by the researcher. However, researchers’ understanding on theory at the outset of the research guides the design of the research. The paper presents an overview of the involvement of theory within different research philosophies, approaches and methods. The relationship between data and theory is an issue that has been long debated. Moving from data to theory is commonly discussed in social constructionism with inductive approach and ideographic methods. However, within positivism philosophy with deductive approach and nomothetic methods, moving from theory to data is common. However, the growing concept of philosophical pluralism and methodological pluralism challenges the polarised views on philosophies and approaches, which suggests that methodologies are best used in complementary way.
Keywords – Research Philosophy, Research Methods, Induction, Deduction, Theory, Pluralis
The role of philosophical context in the development of theory: Towards methodological pluralism
The research strategy dictates the major direction of the research and constitutes one of the important decisions made by the researcher. However, researchers? understanding on theory at the outset of the research guides the design of the research. The paper presents an overview of the involvement of theory within different research philosophies, approaches and methods. The relationship between data and theory is an issue that has been long debated. Moving from data to theory is commonly discussed in social constructionism with inductive approach and ideographic methods. However, within positivism philosophy with deductive approach and nomothetic methods, moving from theory to data is common. However, the growing concept of philosophical pluralism and methodological pluralism challenges the polarised views on philosophies and approaches, which suggests that methodologies are best used in complementary way
Moving Beyond the Enduring Dominance of Positivism in Psychological Research: An Australian Perspective
Almost since its inception, the dominant narrative of modern psychology has embraced positivism through its insistence that psychological science is objective, generalisable, and value free (or neutral). Consequently, quantitative research and in particular, experimental designs, are privileged over other forms of enquiry and other epistemologies, methodologies, and methods remain marginalised within the discipline. Alternative epistemologies and methodologies remain predominantly at the margins within psychological research yet have resulted from the growing dissatisfaction with the dominance of positivism. We argue that the enduring hegemony of positivism needs to be opposed to enable psychology to genuinely understand the antecedents of, and provides meaningful sustainable solutions for, complex human issues without being constrained by a narrow focus on method. We discuss how psychology in Australia can move towards embracing methodological and epistemological pluralism and provide a number of suggestions for change across the interrelated areas of accreditation, curriculum, the Australian Psychological Society, and research
Recommended from our members
Critical thinking and systems thinking: towards a critical literacy for systems thinking in practice
About the book:
In reflective problem solving and thoughtful decision making using critical thinking one considers evidence, the context of judgment, the relevant criteria for making the judgment well, the applicable methods or techniques for forming the judgment, and the applicable theoretical constructs for understanding the problem and the question at hand. In this book, the authors present topical research in the study of critical thinking. Topics discussed include developing critical thinking through probability models; the promotion of critical thinking skills through argument mapping; an instructional model for teacher training in critical thinking; advanced academic literacy and critical thinking and critical thinking and higher education
Why the epistemologies of trust researchers matter
In this thought piece we take stock of and evaluate the nature of knowledge production in the field of trust research by examining the epistemologies of 167 leading trust scholars, who responded to a short survey. Following a brief review of major epistemological perspectives we discuss the nature of the prevalent views and their geographical distribution within our field. We call on trust researchers to engage in epistemological reflection, develop their own awareness of alternative epistemologies, and ensure their work draws on and cites relevant research contrary to their preferred epistemological approach. To support this we ask editors of relevant journals to foster pluralism in trust research, publishing work from a range of epistemologies
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Qualitative research and its place in psychological science
In discussing the place of diverse qualitative research within psychological science, the authors highlight the potential permeability of the quantitative-qualitative boundary and identify different ways of increasing communication between researchers specializing in different methods. Explicating diversity within qualitative research is facilitated, initially, through documenting the range of qualitative data collection and analytic methods available. The authors then consider the notion of paradigmatic frame and review debates on the current and future positioning of qualitative research within psychological science. In so doing, the authors argue that the different ways in which the concept of paradigm can be interpreted allow them to challenge the idea that diverse research paradigms are prima facie incommensurate. Further, reviewing the ways in which proponents of qualitative research are seeking to reconfigure the links between paradigms helps the authors to envisage how communication between research communities can be enhanced. This critical review allows the authors to systematize possible configurations for research practice in psychology on a continuum of paradigm integration and to specify associated criteria for judging intermethod coherence
Boltzmann's Concept of Reality
In this article we describe and analyze the concept of reality developed by
the Austrian theoretical physicist Ludwig Boltzmann. It is our thesis that
Boltzmann was fully aware that reality could, and actually was, described by
different points of view. In spite of this, Boltzmann did not renounce the idea
that reality is real. We also discuss his main motivations to be strongly
involved with philosophy of science, as well as further developments made by
Boltzmann himself of his main philosophical ideas, namely scientific theories
as images of Nature and its consequences. We end the paper with a discussion
about the modernity of Boltzmann's philosophy of science.Comment: 13 pages, pdf only. To appear in the book on Ludwig Boltzmann
scientific philosophy, published by Nova Science. Edited by A. Eftekhar
The role of philosophical context in the development of research methodology and theory
The research strategy dictates the major direction of the research and
constitutes one of the important decisions made by the researcher. However, researchers’
understanding on theory at the outset of the research guides the design of the research. The
paper presents an overview of the involvement of theory within different research
philosophies, approaches and methods. The relationship between data and theory is an issue
that has been long debated. Moving from data to theory is commonly discussed in social
constructionism with inductive approach and ideographic methods. However, within
positivism philosophy with deductive approach and nomothetic methods, moving from theory
to data is common. However, the growing concept of philosophical pluralism and
methodological pluralism challenges the polarised views on philosophies and approaches,
which suggests that methodologies are best used in complementary way
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