Metodología de investigación cualitativa: historia, definición y taxonomía

Rolly Rivas Huaman

doi:10.53732/rccsociales/e81074

Authors

Rolly Rivas Huaman Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Facultad de Psicología. Lima, Perú https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3635-0371

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53732/rccsociales/e81074

Keywords:

research strategies, research organization, methodology, philosophy, epistemology, qualitative analysis

Abstract

Qualitative research constitutes a fundamental approach to understanding social phenomena from the perspective of the meanings, experiences, and contexts in which they develop. This article presents a theoretical analysis aimed at examining the historical evolution, conceptual definition, and taxonomic organization of qualitative research methodology. To this end, an analytical review of the specialized literature was conducted to identify the main milestones in the development of this approach, as well as the epistemological paradigms that underpin it. Within this framework, particular attention is given to interpretivism, constructivism, critical theory, and postpositivism as orientations that have influenced the consolidation of different theoretical perspectives and methodological strategies. Based on this review, a conceptual organization is proposed to understand qualitative research as a plural field comprising diverse approaches, analytical perspectives, and research designs. This proposal seeks to contribute to conceptual and methodological clarification of the qualitative approach, which extends beyond the social sciences into other scientific disciplines. Finally, for didactic purposes, ATLAS.ti Desktop versions 25 and 26 were used to generate figures that facilitate the explanation and presentation of the taxonomic proposal developed in this article.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Acharya, R. (2025). Examining Interpretivism in Social Science Research: Exploring Subjectivity, Context, and Meaning in Social Inquiry. Education Science & Technology. https://journal.skultech.com/index.php/est/article/view/8

Alhazmi, A. A., & Kaufmann, A. (2022). Phenomenological qualitative methods applied to the analysis of cross-cultural experience in novel educational social contexts. Frontiers in Psychology, 13(785134). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.785134

Alsaigh, R., & Coyne, I. (2021). Doing a hermeneutic phenomenology research underpinned by Gadamer's philosophy: A framework to facilitate data analysis. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 20, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069211047820

Álvarez-Gayou Jurgenson, J. L. (2003). Cómo hacer investigación cualitativa: Fundamentos y metodología. Paidós.

Blalock, A. E., Phillips, J. P., Ledford, C. J. W., Wendling, A. L., Kovar-Gough, I., & Lee, A. L. (2025). Qualitative methods for medical education research. PRiMER (Leawood), 9, 35. https://doi.org/10.22454/PRiMER.2025.865981

Beach, D., & Larsson, S. (2022). On developments in ethnographic research: The case of two Swedish universities. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 21. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069221084432

Benner, P. (1994). Interpretive phenomenology: Embodiment, caring, and ethics in health and illness. Sage Publications.

Colaizzi, P. F. (1978). Psychological research as the phenomenologist views it. In R. S. Valle & M. King (Eds.), Existential-phenomenological alternatives for psychology (pp. 48–71). Oxford University Press.

Creswell, J. W., Hanson, W. E., Plano Clark, V. L., & Morales, A. (2007). Qualitative research designs: Selection and implementation. The Counseling Psychologist, 35(2), 236–264. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000006287390

Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). SAGE.

Dahal, N. (2025). Qualitative data analysis: reflections, procedures, and some points for consideration. Frontiers in Research Metrics and Analytics, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/frma.2025.1669578

Dahal, N., Neupane, B. P., Pant, B. P., Dhakal, R. K., Giri, D. R., Ghimire, P. R., & Bhandari, L. P. (2024). Participant selection procedures in qualitative research: experiences and some points for consideration. Frontiers in Research Metrics and Analytics, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/frma.2024.1512747

Dhobi, S. (2022). PhD research in Humanities & Social Sciences: Methods & approaches. Patan Pragya, 10(01), 179–187. https://doi.org/10.3126/pragya.v10i01.50755

Diallo, S. (2024). The Islamic feminism object-oriented and the postcolonial frameshift mutation in the intercommunicating postmodernism frame of reference in Nawal El Saadawi’s The Fall Of The Imam. World Journal of Education and Humanities, 6(4), 22. https://doi.org/10.22158/wjeh.v6n4p22

Diekelmann, N., Allen, D., & Tanner, C. (1989). The NLN criteria for appraisal of baccalaureate programs: A critical hermeneutic analysis. National League for Nursing.

Dilthey, W. (1988). Introduction to the human sciences: An attempt to lay a foundation for the study of society and history (R. J. Betanzos, Trans.). Wayne State University Press. (Original work published 1883)

Doering, K., McAra-Couper, J., & Gilkison, A. (2022). Hermeneutic phenomenology: Bridging Western and Japanese perspectives and languages. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 21, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069221103667

Estrada-Acuña, R. A., Arzuaga, M. A., Giraldo, C. V., y Cruz, F. (2021). Diferencias en el análisis de datos desde distintas versiones de la teoría fundamentada. EMPIRIA. Revista de Metodología de Ciencias Sociales, (51), 185–229. https://doi.org/10.5944/empiria.51.2021.30812

Fernández, R. F. (2025). Is one participant enough in A doctoral thesis? Narrative research as an alternative in postgraduate studies. Journal of Information Systems Engineering & Management, 10(44s), 708–720. https://doi.org/10.52783/jisem.v10i44s.8650

Fleming, V., Gaidys, U., & Robb, Y. (2003). Hermeneutic research in nursing: Developing a Gadamerian-based research method. Nursing Inquiry, 10(2), 113–120. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1440-1800.2003.00163.x

Flick, U. (2007). Introducción a la investigación cualitativa (2.ª ed.). Ediciones Morata.

Gadamer, H.-G. (2004). Truth and method (2nd rev. ed., J. Weinsheimer & D. G. Marshall, Trans.). Continuum. (Original work published 1960).

Giorgi, A. (2009). The descriptive phenomenological method in psychology: A modified Husserlian approach. Duquesne University Press.

Gurdián-Fernández, A. (2023). El Paradigma Cualitativo en la Investigación Socio-Educativa. IDER.

Heidegger, M. (2003). Ser y tiempo (J. E. Rivera, Trad.). Trotta. (Trabajo original publicado en 1927).

Hollstein, B. & Kumkar, N. (2021). Qualitative Methods. In B. Hollstein, R. Greshoff, U. Schimank & A. Weiß (Ed.), Soziologie - Sociology in the German-Speaking World: Special Issue Soziologische Revue 2020 (pp. 301-314). De Gruyter Oldenbourg.

Husserl, E. (2001). Logical investigations (J. N. Findlay, Trans.). Routledge. (Original work published 1900–1901).

Husserl, E. (2012). Ideas: General introduction to pure phenomenology (W. R. Boyce Gibson, Trans.). Routledge. (Original work published 1913).

Katayama, R. (2014). Introducción a la investigación cualitativa. Fondo Editorial Universidad Inca Garcilazo de la Vega.

Kuchinke, K. P. (2023). Phenomenology and Human Resource Development: Philosophical foundations and implication for research. Human Resource Development Review, 22(1), 36–58. https://doi.org/10.1177/15344843221139352

Kuhn, T. S. (2012). The structure of scientific revolutions (4th ed.). University of Chicago Press.

Laverty, S. M. (2003). Hermeneutic phenomenology and phenomenology: A comparison of historical and methodological considerations. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 2(3), 21–35. https://doi.org/10.1177/160940690300200303

Liamputtong, P., Rice, Z.S. (2020). Qualitative Research in Global Health Research. In: Haring, R., Kickbusch, I., Ganten, D., Moeti, M. (eds) Handbook of Global Health. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05325-3_10-1

Malinowski, B. (1922). Argonauts of the Western Pacific: An account of native enterprise and adventure in the archipelagoes of Melanesian New Guinea. G. Routledge & Sons / E. P. Dutton.

Martínez Miguélez, M. (2004). Ciencia y arte en la metodología cualitativa. Editorial Trillas.

Mead, M. (1928). Coming of age in Samoa: A psychological study of primitive youth for western civilisation. William Morrow & Company.

Mejía Giraldo, J. F. (2023). La comprensión de lo social desde el individuo en las ciencias sociales. Revista Senderos Pedagógicos, 14(1), 99–111. https://doi.org/10.53995/rsp.v14i14.1386

Mizikaci, F. (2025). Qualitative research trends in graduate theses in educational sciences: A study from Türkiye. Qualitative Inquiry in Education: Theory & Practice, 3(1), 84–104. https://doi.org/10.59455/qietp.42

Mohammad Ali, I. (2024). A guide for positivist research paradigm: From philosophy to methodology. Idealogy Journal, 9(2). https://doi.org/10.24191/idealogy.v9i2.596

Monaro, S., Gullick, J., & West, S. (2022). Qualitative data analysis for health research: A step-by-step example of phenomenological interpretation. The Qualitative Report 27(4). https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2022.5249

Moustakas, C. (1994). Phenomenological research methods. Sage Publications.

Nickerson, C. (2023). Interpretivism paradigm & research philosophy. Simply Psychology.

Norlaila, N., & Huda, N. . (2026). Paradigm and Philosophical Foundation of Qualitative Research. TOFEDU: The Future of Education Journal, 5(1), 257–263. https://journal.tofedu.or.id/index.php/journal/article/view/1458

Oluka, A. (2025). Phenomenological research strategy: Descriptive and interpretive approaches. F1000Research, 14, 725. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.166273.1

Opara, U. C., & Petrucka, P. (2024). A critical comparison of focused ethnography and interpretive phenomenology in nursing research. Global Qualitative Nursing Research, 11. https://doi.org/10.1177/23333936241238097

Pant, K. R. (2023). Eight moments in the history of Qualitative Research. AMC Journal (Dhangadhi), 4(1), 38–44. https://doi.org/10.3126/amcjd.v4i1.58830

Puri, G. (2023). Participatory action research in social sciences and education. Journal of NELTA Gandaki, 6(2), 66–77. https://doi.org/10.3126/jong.v6i1-2.59713

Puspasari, S. A., Sary, I. U. M., & Winarno, A. (2024). Paradigm of Post Positivism, Critical Theory, and Constructivism in Social Research. East Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 3(12), 5503. https://journal.formosapublisher.org/index.php/eajmr/article/view/12502

Rana, K., Poudel, P., & Chimoriya, R. (2023). Qualitative methodology in translational health research: Current practices and future directions. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 11(19), 2665. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11192665

Renjith, V., Yesodharan, R., Noronha, J. A., Ladd, E., & George, A. (2021). Qualitative methods in health care research. International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 12(1), 20. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijpvm.IJPVM_321_19

Ricoeur, P. (1976). Interpretation theory: Discourse and the surplus of meaning. Christian University Press.

Simons, H. (2009). El estudio de caso; teoría y práctica. Editorial MORATA.

Sithole, A. (2025). Choosing a qualitative research paradigm for social sciences: A literature review for educational researchers. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 8(12), 3945–3954. https://doi.org/10.47772/ijriss.2024.8120327

Sherman, G. L. (2023). Implications of Gunter Figal's hermeneutical philosophy for phenomenological qualitative psychological research. Journal of Phenomenological Psychology, 54(2), 178–198. https://doi.org/10.1163/15691624-20231423

Stake, R. (1998). Investigación con estudio de casos. (2ª ed). Editorial MORATA.

Susilo, T. A. B., Setiawan, A. R., Sinaga, S. B., Irianti, R., Moch. Dicky Riza, & Ira Puspitasari. (2024). Research and Development in Accounting Science with a Qualitative Approach Methodology. ⁠International Journal of Sustainable Social Culture, Science Technology, Management, and Law Humanities, 1(1), 13-21. https://doi.org/10.71131/2544t390

Szántó, Z.O. (2021). Max Weber’s Way from Social Economics to Sociology. Studia Universitatis Babes-Bolyai Sociologia, 66(1), 75-92. https://doi.org/10.2478/subbs-2021-0004

Thomas, W. I. & Znaniecki, F. (1927). The Polish peasant in Europe and America. Alfred A. Knopf. https://archive.org/details/polishpeasantine01thom

Van Manen, M. (1990). Researching lived experience: Human science for an action sensitive pedagogy. State University of New York Press.

Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (6ª ed.). SAGE Publications.

Yudi, Y. (2023). Interpretive paradigms in accounting research methodology: A philosophy of science approach – gadamer’s hermeneutics. Devotion: Journal of Research and Community Service, 4(11), 2185–2195. https://doi.org/10.59188/devotion.v4i11.601