Paradigms
In nursing research, there are several predominant paradigms, each with its own unique ontological and epistemological perspective. We will look at some of the most common social scientific paradigms that might guide you as you start thinking about conducting your research.
Post-Positivism
Post-positivism asserts that there are multiple and competing views of science, and multiple truths. Therefore, researchers cannot be completely objective, unbiased, and value-free, as the positivist paradigm asserts. This shift in perspective from positivism to post-positivism has led to the incorporation of qualitative methods into the post-positivist paradigm, enabling the research to explore participants’ experiences of the phenomenon under study.
Activity
Watch this video, Post-Positivism as a Philosophy of Research [4:42], by Knowledge Quest (2021a) on YouTube.
Note: If you are using a printed copy of this resource, watch the video by scanning the QR code with your mobile device.
Check Your Understanding
Review the mixed methods study by Choopun, Palee & Ampansirirat (2024), titled, “Mental well-being and self-care practice of nursing students amidst the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study with mixed methods approach.”
Note: You may be able to access this article through your Library.
Critical Paradigm
Another paradigm is known as the critical paradigm. At its core, the critical paradigm is focused on power, inequality, and social change. Unlike the positivist paradigm, the critical paradigm posits that social science can never be truly objective or value-free. This paradigm operates from the perspective that scientific investigation should be conducted with the express goal of seeking social change” (https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/researchmethods/chapter/research-paradigms-in-social-science/)
Activity
Watch this video, Critical Theory as a Philosophy of Research [3:42] by Knowledge Quest (2021c) on YouTube.
Note: If you are using a printed copy of this resource, watch the video by scanning the QR code with your mobile device.
Activity
Review the study by Kamvura, Dambi and Chiriseri, titled “Barriers to the provision of non-communicable disease care in Zimbabwe: a qualitative study of primary health care nurses” [Open Access].
- Why does this study fall under the critical theory paradigm?
- There is a focus on power, inequality, and oppression
- The study aims for social change and emancipation
- The study engages participants as co-researchers which aligns with the critical paradigm by promoting collaboration to challenge the status quo
Constructivism
Constructivism is another paradigm that emphasizes how an individual constructs their own notions of reality through their cognition. Constructivists believe that reality is a construct of our minds. It is mostly associated with qualitative research due to the focus on individual experiences and the researcher’s reflections and interpretations (Shannon-Baker, 2023).
Activity
Watch the video Constructivism as a Philosophy of Research [3:14] by Knowledge Quest (2021b) on YouTube.
Note: If you are using a printed copy of this resource, watch the video by scanning the QR code with your mobile device.
Activity
- Review the study by Adra and Abdallah (2024): “Promoting a culture of community in Lebanese care homes through forging partnerships: A constructivist case study approach.”
Note: you may be able to access this article through your Library.
- Why does this fall under the constructivism paradigm?
- The study explores how residents, families, and staff construct their own meanings of “community culture” in care homes, rather than assuming an objective reality
- The study emphasizes contextual and subjective interpretations rather than universal generalizations
- By using multiple perspectives and methods the study acknowledges that knowledge is constructed through different viewpoints rather than being a single, universal truth
|
Approach |
Purpose |
Data Type |
Example |
|
Qualitative |
“Why?” |
Words, observations |
Experiences of new nurses |
|
Quantitative |
“How many/how much?” |
Numbers/statistics |
Hand hygiene intervention effectiveness |
|
Mixed Methods |
Combine qualitative & quantitative |
Words + numbers |
Peer-support program evaluation |
Remixed from:
- An Introduction to Research Methods in Sociology by Valerie A. Sheppard (2019), published by BCcampus under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.
- Qualitative Research- A Practical Guide for Health and Social Care Researchers and Practitioners by Darshini Ayton, Tess Tsindos ,and Danielle Berkovic (2023), under a CC BY-NC license.
References
Adra, M. G., & Abdallah, N. (2024). Promoting a culture of community in Lebanese care homes through forging partnerships: A constructivist case study approach. International Journal of Oolder People Nursing, 19(6), e70000. https://doi.org/10.1111/opn.70000 (TRU Students can access this via the TRU Library with their TRU student login.)
Ayton, D., Tsindos, T., & Berkovic, D. (2023). Chapter 2. Qualitative research: A practical guide for health and social care researchers and practitioners. Monash University / OER Collective. https://oercollective.caul.edu.au/qualitative-research/
Choopun, K., Palee, P., & Ampansirirat, A. (2024). Mental well-being and self-care practice of nursing students amidst the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study with mixed methods approach. Journal of Psychiatric Nursing, 15(4), 384-391. https://doi.org/10.14744/phd.2024.61214
Kamvura, T. T., Dambi, J. M., Chiriseri, E., Turner, J., Verhey, R., & Chibanda, D. (2022). Barriers to the provision of non-communicable disease care in Zimbabwe: a qualitative study of primary health care nurses. BMC Nursing, 21(1), 1–12. https://bmcnurs.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12912-022-00841-1
Knowledge Quest. (2021a, March 27). Post-positivism as a philosophy of research [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPE3OaQwdJI
Knowledge Quest. (2021b, March 28). Constructivism as a philosophy of research [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbaOR8ahoSM
Knowledge Quest. (2021c, March 29). Critical theory as a philosophy of research [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHJ_3uesiDQ
Shannon-Baker, P. (2023, January 1). Philosophical underpinnings of mixed methods research in education. In R. J. Tierney, F. Rizvi, & K. Ercikan (Eds.), International Encyclopedia of Education (Fourth Edition, pp. 380-389). https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818630-5.11037-1
Sheppard, V. A. (2019). Chapter 4. In An introduction to research methods in sociology. BCcampus. https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/researchmethods/
A research worldview that assumes reality exists but can never be fully known. Knowledge is considered approximate, and researchers use systematic, evidence-based methods to develop explanations while recognizing their own assumptions and the limitations of their findings.