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Summary
In today’s rapid pace of life, more and more people use online games to relax, entertain, and communicate with other people. While the academic literature presents the evidence regarding online game addiction that can impact a person’s psychological and social well-being, little attention is paid to the underlying reasons that motivate users to play (McLean & Griffiths, 2019). The intimate sense of connectedness is one of such reasons that should be explored in detail to better understand prerequisites and the process of developing addiction to online gaming.
Considering the identified topic, a qualitative research design is the best option to collect information about players’ attitudes, feelings, and thoughts. This type of information cannot be obtained and analyzed by means of statistical measures since there is a need to gather detailed data, interpret responses, and avoid pre-judgments. The key question to be discussed in terms of the qualitative research defense is how to ensure reliability and validity. To defend against plausible alternatives, it is necessary to provide relevant arguments and demonstrate that these alternatives are implausible (Hayashi et al., 2019). With regard to the given topic, clear definitions of all the alternatives can be provided to apply the argumentation theory. In particular, the attention should be paid to causal relationships between the problem to be studied and alternatives. The inability to detect such relations, along with a lack of proper measurement, would indicate that the chosen alternative is not relevant.
The maximization of trustworthiness can be performed by considering the issue of generalizability, which points to the possibility of applying the study conclusions to a wider context, as stated by Golafshani (2003). In this case, the results about the role of connectedness between players should be applied to other online games and larger groups of players. If the results would be similar, it is possible to speak about a high level of validity. At the same time, a single reality can be perceived differently by different people; therefore, multiple perceptions should be synthesized to create a more specific and correct understanding of the target problem.
The integrity of data analysis is another important aspect that would ensure that the study meets the criteria of reliability. It refers to probity and honesty, which are ethical principles, characterizing an academic work by such concepts as wholeness and openness (Levitt et al., 2017). In a qualitative study, integration is a specific term that informs the selection of methods and instruments to examine a particular topic. It is also beneficial to the proposed study to ensure reliability (Rose & Johnson, 2020). For example, the integrity of data analysis makes it evident that in-depth interviews that will be conducted with the participants should be investigated through a structured analysis method. To contribute to the body of the current evidence, the results of interviews are to be analyzed in the background of related studies.
Thus, based on the above discussion, the following criteria for defending validity will be considered. The first criterion is the presence of an argumentative, logical, and consistent analysis. Second, the rationale for clear relationships between analytical conclusions and specific data should be clarified. Third, it is important to separate factual descriptions, generalizations, and theoretical interpretations of data. Last but not least, a researcher is expected to properly document the process of the study, collected materials, and the analysis results, offering their adequate presentation to a reader.
References
Golafshani, N. (2003). Understanding reliability and validity in qualitative research. The Qualitative Report, 8(4), 597-607.
Hayashi, P., Abib, G., & Hoppen, N. (2019). Validity in qualitative research: A processual approach. The Qualitative Report, 24(1), 98-112.
Levitt, H. M., Motulsky, S. L., Wertz, F. J., Morrow, S. L., & Ponterotto, J. G. (2017). Recommendations for designing and reviewing qualitative research in psychology: Promoting methodological integrity. Qualitative Psychology, 4(1), 2-22.
McLean, L., & Griffiths, M. D. (2019). Female gamers’ experience of online harassment and social support in online gaming: A qualitative study. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 17(4), 970-994.
Rose, J., & Johnson, C. W. (2020). Contextualizing reliability and validity in qualitative research: Toward more rigorous and trustworthy qualitative social science in leisure research. Journal of Leisure Research, 1-20.