Ontological Assumptions and Generalizations in Qualitative (Audience) Research

In media and communication studies, a number of social science and humanistic perspectives converge. As a multidisciplinary field, however, it tends to borrow methods from diverse disciplines and theoretical schools quite eclectically, without taking into consideration the fact that they may be base...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal of communication (London) 2008-09, Vol.23 (3), p.275-294
Main Author: Höijer, Birgitta
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Audience
audience research
Audiences
Convergence
Empirical research
Epistemology
Generalizations
Interdisciplinary aspects
Interdisciplinary research
Mass media
Media and communication studies
Medie- och kommunikationsvetenskap
Methodology
Ontology
Other social sciences
Qualitative analysis
Qualitative research
SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP
Social science research
SOCIAL SCIENCES
Övrig samhällsvetenskap
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:In media and communication studies, a number of social science and humanistic perspectives converge. As a multidisciplinary field, however, it tends to borrow methods from diverse disciplines and theoretical schools quite eclectically, without taking into consideration the fact that they may be based on various basic implicit assumptions. Underlying the methods, there are quite different suppositions about the nature of reality, and about the nature of knowledge and how to gain knowledge. We rarely make that explicit when using specific methods or combinations of methods. The aim of this article is to discuss qualitative research and focus on ontological assumptions behind our methodological arguments and choices. Generalization, often seen as the Achilles heel of qualitative research, is also discussed and its relation to ontological positions clarified. Qualitative audience research is used to substantiate the discussion, but the problems discussed are of a more general nature and valid for qualitative research in general.
ISSN:0267-3231
1460-3705
1460-3705
DOI:10.1177/0267323108092536