Qualitative research and psychological theorizing

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Qualitative Research Methods

Background:

• Psychology has historically undervalued qualitative research methods compared to other human sciences.
• This undervaluation has limited the theoretical imagination and practical skills of psychology practitioners.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the importance of qualitative research methods in psychology.
• To advocate for the adoption of systematic approaches like grounded theory for theory generation.
• To propose alternative criteria for evaluating qualitative research.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of the role and benefits of qualitative research in scientific inquiry.
• Introduction of 'grounded theory' as a systematic method for generating theory from qualitative data.
• Advancement of alternative criteria for assessing the adequacy of qualitative research.

Main Results:

• Qualitative research, particularly grounded theory, facilitates the systematic generation of theory.
• Theories generated through qualitative methods are contextually sensitive, persuasive, and relevant.
• Adopting qualitative methods can liberate and discipline the theoretical imagination in psychology.

Conclusions:

• Psychology should embrace qualitative research methods to enrich its scientific inquiry.
• Grounded theory provides a valuable framework for developing robust, context-specific theories.
• Alternative evaluation criteria are needed to properly assess the rigor of qualitative psychological research.