A researcher has written a proposal for a project investigating the occurrence of secondary traumatic stress among newspaper readers. Her literature review has found that the way in which people experience trauma is shaped in important ways by their cultural attitudes and learned understanding about grief, loss, and mourning. She writes a research proposal that sets out to explore how Western conceptions of violence against women influences how male and female readers of newspaper reports respond to traumatic material. Which of the following categories does this research undertaking belong to?

Question

a.
Epistemology

b.
Ontology

c.
Methodology

Answer 1

The research undertaking described in the proposal primarily focuses on how cultural attitudes and learned understandings influence people's responses to traumatic material. In this context, the researcher is investigating the nature and interpretation of experiences related to trauma, grief, and loss as they relate to Western conceptions of violence against women. Therefore, this research pertains to how knowledge and understanding (epistemology) about trauma is shaped by cultural perspectives and social influences.

Given the options provided, the most fitting category for this research would be:

a. Epistemology

Epistemology is concerned with the nature and scope of knowledge, including how it is shaped by cultural contexts and influences. In this study, the researcher aims to explore the knowledge that male and female readers have regarding trauma and how it is influenced by their cultural contexts, thus aligning it more closely with epistemological inquiries.