Validity and Reliability: The Functionality of Knowledge Seeking Behaviour and Theory Building

Abstract

The scientific approach to knowledge generation hinges in the collection of valid and reliable data about the phenomenon being investigated. These quests for knowledge claims not only satisfy the human curiosity in the need to know but also emphasize the systematic application of science in the investigation of social phenomenon. However, the functionality of knowledge seeking behaviour rests on the sustenance of the human quest for valid and reliable knowledge. These knowledge only become meaningful when they stand to explain the purpose, nature, meaning and shortfalls of the human element which is the centre of inquiry in the behavioural science research. Thus, an understanding of this phenomenon gives insightful knowledge into the kind of data to be collected that would aid in theory building which is the tool for explaining the knowledge that researchers anchors their philosophical assumptions upon. And since theory building in the behavioural science domain requires the collection of accurate and reliable data in order to make salient epistemic claims and generalization, researchers need to uncover the phenomenon under investigation and such understanding must be taken into consideration. These considerations would inform researchers on the approach to be adopted. Based on these the paper concluded that researchers need to understand the human ontological nature which gives rise to epistemological consideration because human behavior is unpredictable.