Final answer:
Qualitative research encompasses the acceptance of multiple subjective realities, closely aligned with qualitative sociology's goal to represent social processes and cultural norms. This method acknowledges that every individual's experience shapes their unique perception of reality, which varies from one group to another.
Step-by-step explanation:
Qualitative research includes the acceptance of multiple realities because everyone's perspective is subjective. In qualitative sociology, there's an understanding that the observation environment significantly influences the data collected. The primary goal is to represent social processes, cultural norms, and societal values while acknowledging subjectivity in these representations.
Postmodernists argue that there's no single objective reality; rather, each group of speakers may form their own reality. This view is critical to qualitative research, as it comprises information gathered in a natural setting, reflecting the participants' personal and subjective experiences. The reality of different social groups may differ, reflecting the divergence in experiences based on personal characteristics such as socioeconomic status, height, gender, etc.
Studies employing a symbolic interactionist perspective often utilize qualitative methods, embracing the importance of in-depth interviews or participant observation to delve into the subjective symbolic worlds of their subjects. Qualitative research methods allow for open-ended questions that provide rich, complex, and often surprising subjective responses—revelations that serve to map the multidimensionality of human experience.