Question

Should a researcher adjust the process to include cultural differences? Give examples to support your answer

Answer 1

Yes, cultural differences have a large part to play in the research methodology. The methodology that best suits the cultural needs and wants of guidelines to be followed for the kind of culture it has to be understood. The culture of any qualitative interview with a US citizen would be very different if the same is conducted on the people of Afghanistan. The citizen of the US has no difference in perception of gender and so the questions formed and the technique involved would be very different to that in Afghanistan. If UNESCO needs to study the female teenager’s health of the Afghan population it would have to be different than that it is in the US. The US may have straight forward ways to speak and communicate where the freedom of expression is a value that is given the highest priority. Hence the research of such an audience is understood by the researcher well may it be a male or female. However, in Afghanistan, the girls of the teenage are not generally allowed to be talking to a male about their health problems. This is a social need that the girls get comfortable answering in the presence of a female interviewer over the male counterpart. The males may not be allowed to talk to these teenagers in private or public based on the tribal rules prevailing there.

Thus based on the culture and its needs the interview techniques are decided for the process accomplishments for any researcher. Hence the process adoption to get the overall teenage female’s health across the globe has to make such adjustments.