Which approach is most aligned with qualitative research?

The interpretivist approach is most aligned with qualitative research because it focuses on understanding human behavior and the meanings individuals attach to their actions and social contexts. Qualitative research emphasizes exploring the subjective experiences of people, seeking in-depth insights into their perspectives, emotions, and interpretations of their environments. This approach often involves methods such as interviews, focus groups, and participant observations, allowing researchers to capture the richness and complexity of social phenomena.

In contrast, the positivist approach emphasizes objective measurement and the use of quantitative data to uncover universal truths and patterns, which is typically associated with experiments and surveys. The empirical approach, while it can include qualitative methods, is generally broader and refers to the collection of data through observation and experience, without necessarily aligning with the interpretative focus that qualitative research embodies. Interdisciplinary analysis, although it can employ qualitative techniques, is not primarily defined by a qualitative focus and may blend various methodologies across different fields of study.