The Interpretivist Research Paradigm: A Subjective Notion of a Social Context

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to give a high-level overview of interpretive research paradigms. It delves into the philosophical foundations of interpretivism research paradigm among all other research paradigms. This article begins with a summary of the components of the interpretivist research paradigm, with an emphasis on ontological and epistemological viewpoints from intrepretivists researchers. Next, it addresses the challenges interpretivist researchers face while conducting research under the Interpretivist paradigm and what characterizes the components in this paradigm are next discussed in detail. As researchers can explore subjective phenomena under this paradigm, this article takes a philosophical methodological stand to discuss how interpretivists researchers can distinguish themselves while conducting research by not adhering to several paradigms as they are mutually exclusive. The choice of a philosophical perspective to evaluate a subjective phenomenon should be guided by the demands and requirements of the research study, rather than focusing on the needs and requirements of a research investigation.