critical realism and qualitative research in psychology

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Critical Realism and Qualitative Research: An Introductory Overview

2018, The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Business and Management Research Methods: History and Traditions

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Systemes D Information Et Management, 2015

The expanding popularity of qualitative research, and more particularly case study research, in the field of Information Systems, Organization and Management research, seems to have been accompanied by an increasing divergence in the forms that this research takes, and by recurrent criticisms concerning its rigor. This paper develops a heuristic framework for guiding the design of a rigorous case study depending on the research's goal and epistemological framework, as well as for guiding its evaluation. It also highlights the fundamental reasons -namely the epistemological ones -for differences in the guidelines offered in the literature for conducting high quality case studies. In agreement with numerous authors, we argue for contingent evaluation criteria. We supplement these authors' works in two ways: (1) we consider various epistemological frameworks that do not appear in the classifications that they use, especially including critical realism and pragmatic constructivism; (2) we propose a set of contingent criteria to be used as a heuristic device for critically and knowledgeably building rigorous case studies within different epistemological traditions.

Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management: An International Journal, 2020

Purpose-Traditional approaches in qualitative research have adopted one research paradigm linked to an established typology. This paper addresses the unconventional application of two research paradigms in one study. A critical realist approach was used to augment a constructivist analysis of data in a research project seeking to explore the meaning that managers in small to medium enterprises (SMEs) attach to hazard identification, the construction of a hazard profile reflective of the business and its use in assisting to manage hazards within the SME's safety management system framework. Critical realism offered a complementary but essential framework to explore causal mechanisms that led to a deeper understanding of the findings by searching for the processes and causality that lay beneath the social and organizational phenomena observed. Design/methodology/approach-This paper compares the two research paradigms in order to seek junctures and apply them to a research project. Analytical tools applied to each research paradigm within the project are presented, followed by a new multiparadigm conceptual model that integrates critical realism and constructivism, providing an original contribution of knowledge to this field of qualitative research. Findings-The adoption of a multiparadigm model enabled not only the interpretation of social phenomena but also the determination of its causality, enabling a more insightful answering of the research question and leading to a deeper insight into the phenomenology that was studied. This research approach widens the boundaries of qualitative inquiry within organizational research by promoting strategies that challenge more traditionally anchored research typologies, and consequently contributes to better research outcomes. Research limitations/implications-This study was conducted across four organizations. Similar research is encouraged across a greater number of case studies to validate the process of using a constructivist and critical realist paradigm to gain a more insightful understanding of events and their causality. Practical implications-The comparison of two research paradigms and consequent provision of a conceptual model (Figure 3) provides potential for the development of further multiparadigm models for research projects within the field of organizational management. Social implications-This paper has the potential to promote engagement and collaboration between research scholars seeking to explore the use of multiple research paradigms. Originality/value-Such an approach has not previously been widely discussed or adopted to examine qualitative data, and advances theory in qualitative research. The application of two research paradigms using such an approach can be applied to businesses in a number of different contexts to gain a more insightful understanding of research participant perspectives, observable events arising from those perspectives and their associated causality.

Journal of Research in Nursing, 2006

Although using a combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches is widely advocated, there is considerable scope for confusion due to the complex ontological and epistemological issues that need to be resolved. This paper examines some of the issues that may arise when the methods are combined. Three distinct standpoints with regard to using mixed method approaches are highlighted: a methodological purist position, a pragmatic standpoint and an anti-conflationist position. It is suggest that an anti-conflationist approach that is underpinned by the philosophy of critical realism is compatible with all three of the purposes of methodological triangulation identified by Risjord and his co-authors (Risjord et al., 2001, 2002) and that adopting a critical realist perspective may circumvent many of the problems that are associated with paradigm ‘switching’. The case for adopting a critical realist framework is illustrated by a case study, in which a combination of quantitative an...

Journal of Studies in Social Sciences, 2014

Qualitative research in social science is an invaluable way to understand social world.

Epistemology and Metaphysics for Qualitative Research , 2016

This clearly written and provocative text outlines the wide range of epistemological and metaphysical pillars of research. In a clear, easy to follow style, the reader is guided through an array of concepts that are defined, explained and made simple. With the aid of helpful examples and case studies, the book challenges the prevailing modes of thinking about qualitative inquiry by showcasing an immense variety of philosophical frameworks. Armed with a strong understanding of this philosophical backbone, students will be able to choose and defend a ‘pick and mix’ of research methods that will uniquely complement their research. • Empiricism • Rationalism • Realism • Skepticism • Idealism • Positivism • Post-positivism • Idea-ism • Hermeneutics • Phenomenology • Social Ontology • Quantum Mechanics Essential reading for new and experienced researchers, this ‘must’ for any social science bookshelf will help unlock a new level of research creativity.

Critical realism (CR) is a useful philosophical framework for social science; however, little guidance is available on which precise methods – including methods of data collection, coding, and analysis – are best suited to applied CR research. This article provides a concrete example of applied qualitative research using CR as a philosophical and methodological framework. Drawing examples from a study of Canadian farm women's experiences with agricultural policy, I suggest a flexible deductive process of coding and data analysis that is consistent with CR ontology and epistemology. The paper follows the typical stages of qualitative research while demonstrating the application of methods informed by CR at each stage. Important considerations CR ontology and epistemology raise, such as the use of existing theory and critical engagement with participants' knowledge and experience, are discussed throughout. Ultimately, I identify two key causal mechanisms shaping the lives of farm women and suggest a future direction for feminist political economy theory to more effectively analyze women's work in agricultural contexts.

The philosophical underpinning of pragmatism allows and guides qualitative/quantitative researchers to use a variety of approaches to answer research questions. Pragmatism's philosophical underpinning permits and directs researchers to use a range of methodologies to address research questions. However, this article provides the philosophical and conceptual framework that informed the two research methodologies and discusses how ontological and epistemological issues were translated in to specific methodological strategies and influence researchers methodological decision. The purpose in writing this article is to describe and reflect on the differences between the two research methodologies from ontological, epistemological and methodological perspectives and how they will be selected for research.

Various researchers employing either qualitative or quantitative researches should better understand the different competing research paradigms and its philosophical underpinnings in relation to ontology, epistemology, methodology and even the methods in collecting and analyzing data to produce an excellent research. Moreover, this paper uncovers the distinctive philosophical keystones of each competing paradigms of qualitative research: scientific, interpretive, and critical theory. In qualitative research, realities are multiple in nature and subjective; dissimilar to quantitative research there is only one objective reality.The qualitative researcher should be able to breach the objective separateness or distance between him and the participants to enter their subjective world for only then the researcher can fully well understand the experience of the phenomenon from the perspectives of the participants (emic perspective) and not according to his viewpoint (etic perspective). Thus, this article would help researchers to fully understand the nature, components, and uniqueness of each competing paradigms of qualitative research.

Although using a combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches is widely advocated, there is considerable scope for confusion due to the complex ontological and epistemological issues that need to be resolved. This paper examines some of the issues that may arise when the methods are combined. Three distinct standpoints with regard to using mixed method approaches are highlighted: a methodological purist position, a pragmatic standpoint and an anti-conflationist position. It is suggest that an anti-conflationist approach that is underpinned by the philosophy of critical realism is compatible with all three of the purposes of methodological triangulation identified by Risjord and his co-authors (Risjord et al., 2001, 2002) and that adopting a critical realist perspective may circumvent many of the problems that are associated with paradigm 'switching'. The case for adopting a critical realist framework is illustrated by a case study, in which a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods was used to explore how and why gatekeeping decisions emerge at the interface between primary care and community mental health teams.

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