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Epistemological and Ontological Positions
hard

Which of the following scenarios best exemplifies an ontological position in qualitative research?

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Choose the Best Answer

A

A researcher believes that reality is socially constructed and varies across different cultures.

B

A researcher uses statistical analysis to determine the correlation between two variables.

C

A researcher conducts a survey to measure the prevalence of anxiety disorders in a population.

D

A researcher uses interviews to explore individuals' subjective experiences of depression.

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Answer

Ontology is the study of what exists and how many realities there are. An ontological position in qualitative research says whether reality is one fixed thing or many different things that people create. The scenario that best shows this is when a researcher claims that each person’s experience creates a distinct reality, not a single objective truth. For example, a researcher might say that the way different cultures understand time is a separate reality for each culture. This focus on the nature of reality itself is what defines an ontological stance.

Detailed Explanation

The researcher says reality is built by people and changes with culture. Other options are incorrect because The researcher looks at numbers to see if two things move together; The researcher counts how many people have anxiety.

Key Concepts

Ontology in qualitative research
Epistemology in qualitative research
Qualitative methods
Topic

Epistemological and Ontological Positions

Difficulty

hard level question

Cognitive Level

understand

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