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quantitative and qualitative research paradigms fundamentally diffe...
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quantitative and qualitative research paradigms fundamentally diffe...
Chapters 10-11 Flashcards
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1
Question
How do quantitative and qualitative research paradigms fundamentally differ in their overarching modes of reasoning?
Page 5
Answer
Quantitative research relies on deductive reasoning to test hypotheses derived from existing theories. Qualitative research operates via inductive reasoning, generating grounded knowledge directly from local contexts and human experiences. Hook: Imagine Detective Deduction looking down through a magnifying glass versus Inductive Ivy cultivating flowers upward from the soil.
2
Question
What core ontological assumption characterizes the postpositivist stance toward reality in research?
Page 2
Answer
Postpositivism posits that an objective reality exists independent of human perception, but it can only be known probabilistically and incompletely due to human limitations. Hook: Picture a Post-it note stuck to a globe labeled 'Real, but partly hidden in fog.'
3
Question
How does the role of researcher subjectivity differ between postpositivism and constructivism?
Page 3
Answer
Postpositivism requires researchers to bracket and minimize their personal values and biases to maintain objectivity. Constructivism views researcher subjectivity and values as unavoidable, actively utilizing them as essential interpretive tools during inquiry. Contrast Hook: Postpositivists wear sterile lab coats to keep bias out; constructivists wear painter smocks covered in shared colors.
4
Question
What primary objective defines inquiry conducted from a critical theory perspective?
Page 3
Answer
Critical theory examines structures of power, privilege, and systemic oppression to empower marginalized groups and promote social justice advocacy. Hook: Picture a critic using a crowbar to dismantle iron scaffolding labeled 'Systemic Oppression.'
5
Question
What memory hook represents the contrast between deductive testing and inductive exploration in research reasoning?
Page 5
Answer
Detective Deduction looking down from a high tower with a magnifying glass versus Inductive Ivy growing new plants from the soil upward.
6
Question
How does the conception of client pathology differ between postpositivist and critical theory perspectives in counseling?
Page 3
Answer
Postpositivism views mental health problems as objective disorders residing within the individual that match formal diagnostic criteria. Critical theory conceptualizes diagnostic categories as socially constructed systems of meaning that pathologize and disempower marginalized clients. Contrast Hook: A medical pill bottle labeled 'Internal Disease' versus a legal brief challenging institutional oppression.
7
Question
Why does constructivism reject the pursuit of an external, objective truth in clinical inquiry?
Page 4
Answer
Constructivism asserts that reality is constructed through language, culture, and interpersonal dialogue. Consequently, researchers can only access a participant's interpretation of their lived experience rather than an absolute truth. Hook: Imagine two speakers weaving a tapestry together out of vibrant threads of spoken dialogue.
8
Question
How does weak or cognitive constructivism differ from strong social constructionism regarding knowledge construction?
Page 4
Answer
Weak cognitive constructivism centers meaning-making within individual cognitive processing and personal reflection. Strong social constructionism posits that knowledge and reality are generated entirely through communal interactions and relational discourse. Contrast Hook: An isolated philosopher thinking in an armchair versus a bustling town hall debating policies.
9
Question
What primary outcome distinguishes participatory action research from conventional academic publication models?
Page 4
Answer
Participatory action research aims to implement direct community action and systemic intervention alongside co-researchers rather than merely disseminating findings in peer-reviewed professional journals. Hook: Picture researchers trading academic diplomas for hard hats and banners out on the streets.
10
Question
What memory hook captures the postpositivist versus constructivist treatment of researcher subjectivity?
Page 3
Answer
The postpositivist wearing a sterile lab coat to seal out contamination versus the constructivist wearing a painter smock vibrant with shared colors.
11
Question
How does the role of participants shift when transitioning from postpositivist to social constructionist research designs?
Page 7
Answer
In postpositivist designs, participants function as subjects whose data is objectively extracted and analyzed by the investigator. In social constructionist designs, participants become active co-researchers who participate in data analysis and co-construct meanings. Hook: A test subject behind one-way glass transitioning to an equal partner sitting at the seminar table.
12
Question
Why is the traditional scientific method considered fundamentally distinct from qualitative inquiry?
Page 5
Answer
The scientific method tests predefined hypotheses through controlled experimentation to deduce universal principles. Qualitative inquiry explores lived meanings, social processes, and unanticipated phenomena inductively without hypothesis testing. Hook: A rigid metal ruler attempting to measure the shifting ripples of an ocean wave.
13
Question
How does a qualitative conceptual framework differ from an exhaustive quantitative literature review?
Page 5
Answer
A quantitative literature review builds sequential, cumulative knowledge across empirical studies to identify gaps. A qualitative conceptual framework actively integrates relevant literature with the researcher's personal positioning to guide an emergent study. Hook: A neat brick wall stacked in rows versus a dynamic mind-map linking literature to personal experiences.
14
Question
Why is knowledge generated through qualitative inquiry considered inherently tied to context and time?
Page 6
Answer
Qualitative findings reflect nuanced, localized human experiences within specific historical and cultural settings, meaning they cannot be mechanically assumed to apply to different populations or temporal contexts. Hook: A delicate vintage photograph stamped with a specific geographic coordinate and calendar date.
15
Question
What memory hook distinguishes the postpositivist participant role from the social constructionist participant role?
Page 7
Answer
A passive subject observed behind one-way glass transforming into an active collaborator co-directing research at the conference table.
16
Question
What defines purposeful sampling within qualitative research methodology?
Page 6
Answer
Purposeful sampling is the intentional selection of individuals who have directly experienced or are navigating the specific phenomenon under investigation. Hook: A dart hitting the exact bullseye on a target labeled 'Lived Experience.'
17
Question
How does sample size inversely affect data breadth and depth in qualitative investigations?
Page 6
Answer
Larger sample sizes yield greater breadth across diverse individuals at the cost of interpretive depth. Smaller sample sizes sacrifice breadth to achieve deeper, more detailed descriptions of lived experiences. Hook: A wide, shallow baking pan contrasted with a narrow, deep well.
18
Question
What methodological function does photovoice serve in qualitative counseling investigations?
Page 7
Answer
Photovoice utilizes participant-generated photographs to facilitate access to emotions, memories, and symbolic meanings that verbal interview prompts alone may fail to elicit. Hook: A participant snapping a Polaroid camera to reveal glowing, hidden thoughts.
19
Question
How does data analysis differ between postpositivist and social constructionist qualitative research?
Page 7
Answer
Postpositivists maintain a strict boundary where researchers code data independently and use participants only for post-hoc verification. Social constructionists engage participants as co-researchers who actively shape codes, themes, and dissemination. Contrast Hook: An isolated coder in a sterile archive versus a collaborative focus circle sorting cards.
20
Question
What memory hook represents the relationship between sample size, breadth, and depth in research design?
Page 6
Answer
A wide, shallow baking pan representing broad coverage versus a narrow, deep well reaching rich ground water.
21
Question
Why cannot traditional quantitative evaluative criteria of reliability, validity, and generalizability be directly applied to qualitative findings?
Page 7
Answer
Quantitative criteria assume a standardized, uniform external reality that yields reproducible, statistically generalizable measurements. Qualitative research explores fluid, context-bound human meanings through diverse paradigms that require tailored evaluative standards. Hook: Trying to weigh a poem on a rusty meat scale.
22
Question
How does Moustakas's phenomenological approach contrast epistemologically with Van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenology?
Page 8
Answer
Moustakas adopts a postpositivist stance seeking objective, standardized procedures to capture essential structures. Van Manen adopts an interpretivist, hermeneutic stance that embraces the researcher's reflective involvement and contextual interpretation. Contrast Hook: An architect drafting blueprinted formulas versus a poet interpreting handwritten letters.
23
Question
What core focus defines the primary objective of phenomenological inquiry?
Page 9
Answer
Phenomenology explores how human beings make sense of and experience the essence of their lived experience within the world. Hook: A researcher peeling back layers of an onion to discover its inner core labeled 'Lived Essence.'
24
Question
Why is maximum variation sampling utilized in qualitative phenomenological studies?
Page 10
Answer
Maximum variation sampling intentionally recruits participants from diverse demographic and experiential backgrounds. This diversity enables researchers to identify the core essence of a phenomenon that holds true across varied perspectives. Hook: A colorful kaleidoscope rotating to reveal the single geometric shape at its center.
25
Question
What memory hook captures the contrast between Moustakas's phenomenology and Van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenology?
Page 8
Answer
The rigid structural architect drafting blueprinted formulas versus the reflective poet interpreting handwritten letters in a study.
26
Question
What does Van Manen mean by the methodological theme of 'turning to the nature of lived experience'?
Page 10
Answer
Researchers must commit to deep, focused, and patient mindfulness to grasp the fundamental meaning of a phenomenon rather than accepting superficial summaries. Hook: A monk sitting in meditative stillness before a single blooming lotus.
27
Question
How does Van Manen conceptualize the act of writing and rewriting in hermeneutic phenomenology?
Page 11
Answer
Writing is not a mechanical post-analysis recording phase; rather, the iterative act of writing and rewriting constitutes the actual process of research reflection and meaning-making. Hook: A calligrapher whose brushstrokes actively bring invisible words into visible reality on parchment.
28
Question
How does Van Manen define the theme of maintaining a strong and oriented relation to the phenomenon?
Page 11
Answer
The researcher rejects clinical disinterest and maintains fidelity and dedication to understanding both the phenomenon itself and the lived realities of the participants. Hook: A faithful knight taking a vow of loyalty to protect a sacred relational bond.
29
Question
In Van Manen's methodology, how does analyzing parts versus the whole differ between phenomenology and grounded theory?
Page 11
Answer
Phenomenology explores how lived themes are co-experienced and related within the unified whole of an experience. Grounded theory examines how distinct categories systematically influence or cause one another across a theoretical process. Contrast Hook: Merging musical harmonies in a symphony versus connecting turning gears in a clockwork engine.
30
Question
What memory hook represents Van Manen's view of the iterative writing and rewriting process?
Page 11
Answer
A calligrapher whose dynamic brushstrokes actively conjure invisible thoughts into tangible, illuminated reality.