Art history was my previous major, thus, it is difficult for me not to identify with the critical paradigm. Art is entirely shaped by its surroundings and the art business is a social construct of the highest order. Art is always evolving and an artist that does not evolve is quickly left behind. Art operates in the critical paradigm. The market reacts to how a piece of work is critiqued by certain galleries, collectors, critics, and institutions. Art is made as a reaction to social, cultural, political and societal change. It is always a reaction to something, often with the goal of changing something. I believe that for one to be critical is to go after what one believes in and challenge what they don’t believe in. Scientific research will falter if it is not relayed to the public in the right way and used effectively to benefit society. Otherwise, such research will be wasted with the wrong interpretation and presentation.

Although I do believe I mostly fall into the critical paradigm, there are many aspects of the interpretive paradigm that I strongly identify with. Understanding that individuals have their own subjective reality is something I view as important. Using art as an example again, one person can look at an abstract painting and see something completely different than another person. It is important to respect both individual’s perspective and to take one another’s interpretation into account. However, to be critical is to decide whether the artwork is necessary, important, or useful. We look to critical institutions and researchers to decide these things.

The dynamic between the interpretive and critical paradigms excite me. The scientific paradigm appears fairly black and white, but there is a discussion to be had about what falls into the other two paradigms and where the two intersect. When I conduct research in the future, I’d like to pull influence from each of these two paradigms and I’m eager to see what results it will give me. I believe the critical paradigm is able to help me take on a more humanitarian role as a researcher, rather than a strictly analytical one. Meanwhile, operating within the interpretive paradigm will allow me to take individual meanings into account.