Social Work Research Methods Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches

Social Work Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches Topic 4: Approaches to Social Work Research Visit the National Association of Welfare Research and Statistics: http: //www. nawrs. org • This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law: any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network; preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images; any rental, lease, or lending of the program. Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

Topic 4: Approaches to Social Work Research • • What are the two basic types of explanation? What is the positivist approach to social work research? What is the interpretive approach to social work research? What is the critical approach to social work research? What is the feminist approach to social work research? What is the postmodern approach to social work research? What are the common elements of these five approaches? Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

What are the two basic types of Explanation? • Ideographic research is investigation that seeks to account for human behavior inductively, by examining each individual case looking for patterns and trends. • Nomothetic research is investigation that seeks to account for human behavior deductively, by testing theories and general explanations broadly looking for confirmation of hypotheses. Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

• • What is the Positivist Approach to Social Work Research? Positivist research is the approach of the natural sciences such as biology and chemistry. It seeks to discover natural laws. It sees individuals shaped by external forces. It sees common sense as less valid than science. Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

Positivist Social Work Research continued… • Positivist social work uses a deductive system of definitions, axioms and laws. • It is based on precise observations and facts. • It is value-free and uses objective inquiry. Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

What is the Interpretive Approach to Social Work Research? • Interpretive research seeks to understand meaningful social action. • It uses definitions created by humans in real situations. • It recognizes that humans create their own situations. • Common sense is a powerful everyday cause of behavior in this approach. • It is a perspective on behavior based on description. Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

Interpretive Social Work Research continued… • Interpretive social work ordinarily resonates and feels right to those who are studied. • It is embedded in the local context of human interactions. • It’s treats values as integral to individuals and groups. Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

What is the Critical Approach to Social Work Research? • Critical research discovers myths and empowers people to change their circumstances. • It works from theory that most individual and institutional relationships are based on conflict and hidden structures. • It theorizes that people have unrealized potential. • It contends that false beliefs hide true power. Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

Critical Social Work Research continued… • It helps people see how to build a better world. • It unveils illusions caused by scarce resources. • It states that all science involves values, some right, some not. Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

What is the Feminist Approach to Social Work Research? • Feminist research advocates the feminist value position. • No sexist assumptions or research questions are allowed. • Researchers develop an empathic relationships with those they study. • It is very sensitive to the relationship between power and gender. Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

Feminist Social Work Research continued… • The researcher’s personal feelings and experiences are important in feminist studies. • It is very flexible when choosing data-gathering strategies across many different academic fields. • It follows action-oriented research that facilitates personal and community change. Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

What is the Postmodern Approach to Social Work Research? • In postmodern research, theory and ideology are rejected. • Intuition, imagination, emotion and experience are critical. • Extreme subjectivity merges the personal and external world. • Relativism suggests no preferred interpretations of behavior in this approach. Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

Postmodern Social Work Research continued… • The world is fluid and constantly changing. • Here and now is the only reality that can be studied. • Its research never truly captures the complexity of human interaction Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003

What are the Common Features of These Five Approaches? • • • All are empirical. All are systematic All are theoretical. All are public. All are self-reflective. All are open-ended. Copyright @ Allyn & Bacon 2003