philosophy of science instructor: julian hasford teaching assistant: keith adamson ps398 qualitative...

Philosophy of SciencePhilosophy of Science

Instructor: Julian HasfordInstructor: Julian HasfordTeaching Assistant: Keith AdamsonTeaching Assistant: Keith Adamson

PS398 Qualitative Methods in PsychologyPS398 Qualitative Methods in PsychologyJanuary 13, 2009January 13, 2009

AGENDAAGENDA

• Glossary: Post-Modernism

• Review

• Lecture: Philosophy of Science

• Memoing Exercise

• Next Class…

LEARNING OBJECTIVESLEARNING OBJECTIVES

• By the end of this session, you should be By the end of this session, you should be able to:able to:– Analyze the main components of qualitative

and quantitative research– Discuss the philosophical assumptions (and

logic) of various scientific paradigms– Analyze how philosophical paradigms

influence research method and substance– Articulate a personal stance

POST-MODERNISMPOST-MODERNISM

• DefinitionDefinition– Intellectual movement that challenges modernist

conceptions (“grand narratives”) of science, truth, and objectivity (Gergen, 2000; Patton, 2002)

– Language can not fully capture truth or reality (Crisis of Representation)

– Argues that truth is constructed through language, and language constructed through cultural processes (language games, consensus, power)

– Science is social constructed– Values multiple truths


• Methodological/Theoretical SignificanceMethodological/Theoretical Significance– Influential in social sciences and humanities

(Psychology slower to adopt than other disciplines) (Gergen, 2000)

– Research focuses on social construction of reality through language, symbols, metaphors, etc.

– Phenomena treated as text– Analysis through deconstruction (take apart text to

expose hidden assumptions, contradictions, ideological interests) (Patton, 2002)


• Methodological/Theoretical SignificanceMethodological/Theoretical Significance– Conclusions are localized, tentative, tolerate

dissensus (Johnson & Cassell, 2001)– Reflexivity (esp. Epistemological)– Influenced discourse analysis and narrative

methodological orientations – Risk of extreme moral or epistemological

relativism, which can justify oppression or undermine value of all knowledge


• ExampleExample– Examines implications of post-modernism for the discipline of

work psychology– Work psychology dominated by positivism, excludes subjectivity

(Qualitative approaches still based on positivist understanding)– Limits what is known about work, limits reflexivity in psychology

research and practice– Postmodernists erode apparently self-evident meta-narratives

through: • Identifying particular ways of seeing and acting that a discourse

takes and excludes; • Analysing social processes that make it possible for such a

discourse to be historically constituted• Analysing how it is reconstituted into new discursive formations• Identifying the effects of such a discourse upon people.


• ExampleExample– Discipline and sub-disciplines of work psychology

seen as discourses that are constructed to define legitimate work psychology that exclude non-qualified members and restrict acceptable forms of knowledge

– Phenomena such as stress, personality, motivation not seen as real objects, but as linguistic constructs taken to be real and produced by discipline

• Examine how constructs stress come about (stressologists industry)

– Human Resource discourse found to reflect masculine regimes of rationality that exclude and suppress women as irrational (management selection tests based on masculine norms)


• ReferencesReferencesGergen, K. (2000). Psychology in postmodern context.

American Psychologist, 56(10), 803-813.

Johnson, P. & Cassell, C. (2001). Epistemology and work psychology: New agendas. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 74, 125-143

Patton, M.Q. (2002). Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods (3rd Ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

RE(VIEW)RE(VIEW)

• Strategies of Research (Methodologies) Strategies of Research (Methodologies) – Goals– Design Strategies

• Control over phenomena?• Use of predetermined categories?• Sampling?

– Data Collection Strategies• Nature of data and instruments?• Research Relationship?

– Analysis Strategies• Reasoning process? • Emphasis? Goals? • Role of researcher in analysis?

RE(VIEW)RE(VIEW)

• Quantitative StrategyQuantitative Strategy– Goals– Design Strategies

• Experiment• Randomization• Probability Sampling

– Data Collection Strategies• Quantitative Data• Distance & Objectivity• Reductionist

– Analysis Strategies• Hypothetical-Deductive: begins with hypotheses• Statistical verification & Generalization• Reductionist & Mechanistic• Context-free (Control)

RE(VIEW)RE(VIEW)• Qualitative StrategiesQualitative Strategies

– Goals– Design Strategies

• Naturalistic• Emergent/flexible• Purposeful sampling

– Data Collection Strategies• Qualitative data• Personal engagement• Empathic neutrality• Dynamic Systems

– Analysis Strategies• Unique case orientation• Inductive analysis & Creative synthesis• Holistic• Context • Reflexivity

REVIEWREVIEW

Qualitative Quantitative

Purpose / Focus Understanding (Verstehen)

Subjectivity

Social processes

Ideographic

Explanation (cause-effect)

Prediction

Control

NomotheticDesign Naturalistic

Emergent

Purposeful Sampling

Mechanistic/ Reductionist

Experimental

Control

Randomization (Probability Sampling)Data Collection Qualitative Data

Personal Engagement (Researcher is Instrument)

Empathic Neutrality

Numerical Data

Objective

Analysis Unique-case orientation

Inductive

Holistic

Context

Reflexivity

Generalization

Hypothetico-Deductive

Verification

Context-free

PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCEPHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE

• What is philosophy of science?What is philosophy of science?– Conceptual roots undergirding the quest for

knowledge– Fundamental beliefs or assumptions about

• Ontology (the nature of reality and being)• Epistemology (the study of knowledge)• Axiology (the role of values in the research process) • Methodology (the process and procedures of research)• Rhetorical structure (the language of the research) and

presentation of the research)


• Why think about philosophy of science?Why think about philosophy of science?– Increases clarity of research purpose– Enhances reflexivity – Broadens and deepens theoretical sensitivity– Increases quality and rigor


• ScienceScience– Definition

• Systematic collection and analysis of data • Create knowledge and solve problems

– Empiricism


• ParadigmsParadigms– Set of interrelated assumptions about the world which

provides a philosophical and conceptual framework for the organized study of that world (Filstead, 1979 in Patton, 2002)

• Ontology, Epistemology, Methodology, Axiology, Rhetorical Structure

– Major Paradigms• Reality-oriented• Social Constructionist • Critical-Ideological

PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCEPHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE• Reality-oriented ParadigmsReality-oriented Paradigms

– Belief in external reality, where events result from underlying mechanisms or structures

– Objectivity is desirable– Goals are explanation, laws, prediction, control– Variations

• Positivism (Comte)– Real knowledge based on claims that are verifiable by direct experience

(mathematical formulas); distinguish “positive knowledge” (empirically based) from theology and metaphysics (based on fallible human reason and belief)

• Post-positivist (Popper)– Human ability to gain real knowledge is limited. Falsification over verification as

criteria for assessing claims• Realism

– Similar to post-positivism. Recognize subjectivity and takes pragmatic rather formalistic approach to research. No difference between qualitative and quantitative methods.


• Social Constructionist ParadigmsSocial Constructionist Paradigms– Believe in multiple, equally valid realities

(subjective and socially constructed)– Goals are understanding lived experience

(verstehen)– Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle


• Critical ParadigmsCritical Paradigms- Believe that reality mediated by power

relations within social, historical contexts– Goals are emancipation and transformation


• OntologyOntology– Focus

• Nature of being and reality• What can be known

– Paradigmatic• Positivism: One true external reality, operates by

universal laws, can be known with some certainty• Constructivism• Critical


• EpistemologyEpistemology– Focus

• Theories of Knowledge (how we know, who can know)

• Relationship between Knower and Known

– Paradigmatic• Positivism• Constructivism• Critical


• Methodology (and Methods)Methodology (and Methods)– Focus

• The way of doing research (Design, Data Collection, Analysis)

• Methods are the how of doing research



• AxiologyAxiology– Focus

• The role of values in research• Standpoint, Research Relationship



• Rhetorical StructureRhetorical Structure– Focus

• Language• Voice



• VideoVideo– Questions

• What are the author’s claims?• What epistemological assumptions inform the

author’s claims? • What epistemological assumptions are the hosts

criticisms based upon?• Do you agree with the epistemological basis of the

author’s claims and/or the hosts’ criticisms?


• VideoVideo


• VideoVideo– Questions

• What are the author’s claims?• What epistemological assumptions inform the

author’s claims? • What epistemological assumptions are the hosts

criticisms based upon?• Do you agree with the epistemological basis of the

author’s claims and/or the hosts’ criticisms?

EXERCISEEXERCISE

• MemoingMemoing– Short written documents that are produced

throughout qualitative research• Document researcher’s analytical process• Stimulates reflection and analysis• Promote creative insights through brainstorming

and freewriting• Develop writing skills

EXERCISEEXERCISE

• MemoingMemoing– Format

• Typed • ~1 page (single-spaced)• Title (indicates content) and date• Sentence form. Should be coherent.

EXERCISEEXERCISE

• InstructionsInstructions- Write memo on following questions

• What paradigm do you identify most closely with? Why?

• How would that paradigm influence our approach to studying money in this class?

– Purpose, Methodology, Axiology

• What are some limitations to what we can know using this approach?

– Turn to partner and discuss your thoughts

NEXT CLASS…NEXT CLASS…

• Theoretical OrientationsTheoretical Orientations

philosophy of science instructor: julian hasford teaching assistant: keith adamson ps398 qualitative...

Documents

psychology research

legitimate work psychology

humanities psychology

social sciences

social construction

analysing social processes

philosophical assumptions

postmodernismreview