Correct option is B
The statements provided emphasize the subjective nature of reality, where meaning is not an objective "fact" to be measured but a "construct" created through social interaction and individual interpretation. These are the core tenets of the
Qualitative Research Approach.
The correct answer is
(b) Qualitative Approach.
Information Booster
The statements align with the philosophical foundations of qualitative research, specifically
Interpretivism and
Social Constructivism:
·
Statement (A) & (C) - Interpretation: In a qualitative approach, researchers believe that human experience is not direct; it is filtered through the "lens" of the person living it. Unlike the quantitative approach (which looks for external causes or "personal drives" in a psychological sense), qualitative research prioritizes how people
interpret their own lives.
·
Statement (B) - Social Construction: This reflects the theory of
Symbolic Interactionism. It suggests that we don't just "find" meaning; we
construct it as we interact with others and our environment.
·
Statement (D) - Multiple Realities: This is the concept of
Relativism. In a quantitative study, there is usually one "truth" (the statistical average). In a qualitative study, there are "multiple truths" or multiple ways of interpreting the same experience.
Additional Knowledge
To contrast this with the other options, it helps to see how they would view these same statements:
·
Quantitative Approach (a): This approach would likely disagree with these statements. It operates on
Positivism, which assumes that there is a single objective reality that can be measured with numbers and statistics, regardless of human interpretation.
·
Mixed Method Approach (c): While this approach
incorporates these views, it also seeks to validate them through quantitative data. The statements themselves are purely qualitative in their philosophical origin.
Summary of Research Paradigms
| Feature |
Quantitative (Positivist) |
Qualitative (Interpretive) |
| Nature of Reality |
Objective; Single |
Subjective; Multiple |
| Goal |
Generalization & Prediction |
Understanding & Description |
| Data Type |
Numbers / Statistics |
Words / Images / Symbols |
| Researcher Role |
Detached / Objective |
Involved / Subjective |