Coming soon · Book Profile
The Foundations of Social Research: Meaning and Perspective in the Research Process
A scaffolding for understanding social research that shows how research methods are grounded in methodologies, theoretical perspectives, and epistemologies, and traces the meaning of the major philosophical traditions that inform inquiry.
A profile of this book is on the way.
What it’s about
Bewildered by the maze of methodologies, methods, and inconsistent terminology in social research? Michael Crotty offers a clarifying four-element framework—epistemology, theoretical perspective, methodology, and method—that lets researchers justify and expound their choices coherently. Rather than dictating one true way, the book provides 'scaffolding' for researchers to build their own research process, while taking readers on an erudite tour through objectivism and constructionism, positivism and post-positivism, interpretivism (symbolic interactionism, phenomenology, hermeneutics), critical inquiry (the Marxist and Frankfurt School heritage, Habermas, Freire), feminism, and postmodernism. Across these traditions, Crotty insists that the real divide in research is not qualitative versus quantitative but the assumptions about meaning, reality, and knowledge that researchers inevitably bring to their work. The result is a guide that helps researchers make their inquiry transparent, accountable, and intellectually defensible.
The through-line
- Who it’s for
- A research student, fledgling researcher, or seasoned investigator who wants to design and justify a sound piece of social research.
- The problem
- A bewildering array of methodologies, methods, and inconsistent terminology that appears more as a maze than as orderly pathways to research. Feeling confused, uncertain, and unable to justify why a chosen approach is defensible or how its findings should be regarded.
- The plan
- Identify the four elements of your research: methods, methodology, theoretical perspective, and epistemology.
- Begin from your real-life research question and work toward methodology and methods that fulfil its purposes.
- Clarify the epistemological stance (objectivism, constructionism, or subjectivism) and theoretical perspective informing your work.
- Study established traditions to understand what is possible and to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses.
- Forge and expound your own research process, justifying it by laying it out for the observer's scrutiny.
- The payoff
- You approach research with greater clarity and a better sense of direction. · Your research outcomes are convincing because their theoretical assumptions and status are made explicit. · You can defend your process as a serious form of human inquiry, whether positivist or non-positivist.
See our guide
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Additional reading
- The Organism · Kurt Goldstein
Maslow sources the term 'self-actualization' from Goldstein and builds upon his holistic view of the organism.
- Explorations in Personality · H. A. Murray, et al.
Cited as providing an 'excellent discussion' on the basic principle of centering motivation theory on goals rather than instigation or behavior.
- Social Interest · Alfred Adler
Maslow credits Adler and his followers for stressing the importance of the 'esteem needs,' which he felt were neglected by Freudian psychoanalysts.
- Wisdom of the Body · W. B. Cannon
Provides the foundational concept of 'homeostasis,' which Maslow uses as the starting point for his discussion of physiological needs.
- Multipliers · Liz Wiseman
Explores how leaders can either amplify ('multiply') or diminish ('diminish') the intelligence and capabilities of their teams, a key concept for creating a positive, low-anxiety environment.
- The Fearless Organization · Amy Edmondson
Provides the foundational research and practical steps for creating psychological safety, which the book identifies as crucial for reducing interpersonal anxiety and encouraging people to speak up.
- Mindset · Carol Dweck
Explains the difference between a 'growth mindset' and a 'fixed mindset,' which is presented as a key tool for helping employees manage perfectionism and see failures as learning opportunities.
- Crucial Conversations · Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, et al.
Recommended as a resource for employees to learn how to navigate difficult, high-stakes conversations, directly addressing the book's theme of moving from conflict avoidance to healthy debate.
- Better Allies · Karen Catlin
The author is quoted on specific, actionable steps for allyship, making her book a practical guide for implementing the principles in Chapter 7.
- Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People · Mahzarin R. Banaji and Anthony G. Greenwald
Explains the science of implicit bias, which is central to the book's argument that leaders need to be proactive allies because 'not being racist/sexist' isn't enough.