"The other researcher suggested that the methodology we use should, to a large extent, be dictated by our epistemological philosophy. For example, are you a positivist, interpretivist, a hypothetico-deductivist, a post-positivist or some other stance appearing on the list of epistemological perspectives? I imagine many readers of this blog, like myself, will be surprised by this stance. Since day one of my research methods training, I've been taught that it's the research question that should dictate your methodology..."
"Now, I've come across all of these different epistemological perspectives in the past, but I've never really put much faith into them - don't get me wrong, I agree with each perspective in different ways, so it's hard to say I have no faith in them, but likewise, it's hard to adhere to just one perspective. Like any good psychologist would question, why does it have to be one or another?"
A conversation with a fellow researcher raised whether research methodology should be dictated by epistemological philosophy or by the research question. The opposing stance proposes selecting methods according to positions like positivism, interpretivism, hypothetico-deductivism, or post-positivism. The alternative stance holds that the research question should determine methodology from the start. Many epistemological perspectives have attractive elements but also important flaws that make exclusive adherence problematic. A pragmatic approach that allows mixed methods and questions the nature of knowledge, rather than assuming singular epistemological commitments, is preferred.
Read at Psychology Today
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