Theoretical frameworks and conceptual underpinnings in social research

Social Research

Effective and Ethical Theoretical Frameworks and Conceptual Underpinnings in Social Research

The scientific method, though not really codified and rendered explicit until the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, was a feature the investigation of the natural world from the time of the ancient Greeks and Egyptians, and arguably even prior to the scientific advancements of these civilizations. "Science" as it is though of today was practiced with highly varied degrees of integrity and vigor at different epochs of human history, it is true, and many assumptions were made and "proven" in decidedly unscientific ways even by some of history's greatest scientific thinkers and contributors, but the concepts of objectivity and open-mindedness that are the strict rules of modern scientific investigation have long been the hallmarks of successful and meaningful investigations of the world.

In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, following the major scientific advancements occurring in physics, chemistry, and eventually biology, certain members of the scientific community began applying the same methods of objective understanding to issues that are incredibly difficult to observe in any concrete and objective way. Specifically, the sciences of psychology and sociology began to emerge in an attempt to scientifically address human problems, the former on a larger societal scale and the latter on an individual level. In these sciences, there are few concrete phenomena to be measured, weighed, and analyzed, and so a more extensive codification and classification -- as well as some guesswork -- became necessary.

It is for this reason that the theoretical frameworks and basic conceptual underpinnings of conducting social research to address human issues are so important. Without initial agreement and shared perspectives, the results of social research would be at best meaningless and at worst easily manipulated into a series of politically motivated "facts" used to make sweeping social decisions. There are both practical and ethical reasons that the underlying theories and concepts of social research have been developed, and though there are competing theories that are in some ways mutually exclusive, the establishment of a common language and understanding is still key even in outlining these scientific disagreements. That is, it is only with defined theories and concepts that social research can be made meaningful and useful, as they provide a concrete lexicon for abstract investigations.

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research

One of the most basic distinctions that has been necessarily made in the area of social research is the distinction between qualitative and quantitative research. This distinction is necessary because it makes clear exactly what is concretely measurable and measured -- that which can be termed quantitative data -- and what is somewhat more subjectively defined, implied, and understood, or the qualitative aspects of a given issue. This is not to suggest that qualitative research and data is somewhat less rigorously controlled or less scientific than quantitative data, but it does demand the use of different metrics and measuring tools as qualitative research generally involves issues that cannot be directly measured.

In a very basic sense, quantitative data and research can be understood as the type of scientific investigation that occurs in all branches of science, through direct measurement. Physicists, for example, use quantitative research to measure mass and energy; these aspects of a given scenario that can be given specific numbers that would be understood by other researchers. This is not to say that quantitative data provides cold, objective facts that are indisputable; there is still an epistemological assumption that such measurements are in fact accurate and meaningful, and thus even the most direct and concrete quantitative research depends upon the definition of terms and measurements, and requires a general consensus regarding these units if results are to be meaningful (Rist 1977).

The need to arrive at a consensus of the definitions of given terms is perhaps more pressing in social research than in the "hard" sciences such as physics, due to the fact that social issues tend to have more interrelated factors and complexities (the definition of "self" in social research, for instance, is bound to be more complex than the definition of "mass" in physics). Qualitative research and data has the same issues, but they are even more profound as the elements that are discerned and described in a qualitative manner cannot by their very nature be quantified at all, even when rigorously defined. Aspects of an issue such as how someone feels or a combination of life decisions that lead to a certain situation are qualitative research aspects, and they are of immense value in social research even if -- and perhaps because -- they tend to add more complexity to the issue than quantitative data.

Ultimately, the development of both qualitative and quantitative research frameworks -- and indeed, theoretical and research-based frameworks that manage to fully incorporate both types of research -- is essential to the continuing meaningful examination of social issues. Social research is concerned with developing understandings of society and the social world that are meaningful, relevant, and can be acted upon in specific ways with fairly definite effects, and in order to do this it must be built on valid constructs of reality that incorporate all needed elements, both quantitative and qualitative, of a given issue (Schutt 1966). The delineation between qualitative and quantitative research must be made in order to allow for the construction of truly meaningful constructs; without a specific delineation of the theoretical and practical differences between these two areas of research, any information obtained through social research would lack meaning due to a missing context.

The Ethical Need for Theory

The need for underlying theoretical frameworks or paradigms in social research is not limited to the practical concerns and efficacy of such research. There is also an ethical imperative for social researchers to codify their practices, concepts, and underlying assumptions in order to make research both relevant to the populations studied and beneficial to society at large. The issue here is somewhat more complex than it is when considering the practical implications of theoretical underpinnings in social research; it is not a matter of whether or not the research is useful or not, or even whether it is beneficial (or harmful) or not, but in fact the ethical issues of theoretical underpinnings go far deeper than this. Making research ethical (or failing to do so) has en effect on the researcher and on social research overall in addition to simply having implications on the research at hand, and understanding the influence that ethicality has on broader research is a definite necessity.

According to Wellington (2000), "ethical concerns should be at the forefront of any research project and should continue through to the write-up and dissemination stages." That is, the ethical issues of any given research must be as important and as fully explored as any other aspect of the research, even the primary research question itself. This allows the researcher and the research to be completely and comprehensively concerned with doing the "right" thing, regardless of what the observations and evidence gathered in the course of the research shows. This applies to honesty in recording and presenting information as well as to the collection methods for obtaining this information.

Without a strong ethical through-line in social research, the entire purpose of this research ends up being lost. Social research exists specifically to identify issues in society and among individuals and to suggest ways to improve these issues, and to build better-functioning societies that allow for greater chances at group and individual success. The measures of this success and the determination of exactly what constitutes a "better functioning society" are, of course, issues with many often hugely divergent conclusions, but even when these conclusions seem diametrically opposed the individuals that hold these conclusions are working towards the same basic goal -- improving the human condition through improving society. If the ethical principles of social research are lost or forgotten from the outset, then the entire goal of social research goes out the window. Without codified theoretical frameworks and basic concepts of social research in place, there is again no context on which to build -- or to which to bring -- any ethical principles at all.

Conclusion

The importance of developing and maintaining comprehensive theoretical frameworks in social research is immense. From both a practical and an ethical standpoint, these theories must be created and adopted in order to create a context in which research findings and conclusions both have meaning and a true purpose. With proper theoretical contexts and sound research practices, social research can be a very powerful tool in changing the world around us.