THE RESEARCH DESIGN AND APPROACH

In finding answers for the above mentioned research questions and identified issues and thus attempt to achieve the objectives of the study, the researcher will use the investigative and exploratory approaches to gain findings for the study. The research will explore the influences and effects of mass media on the native Nguni cultures (Xhosa, Zulu and Ndebele). The qualitative method will be used to explore the impact of mass media on the traditional practices of the Nguni tribes, behavioural patterns and culture. The data will be collected through records, interviews, observations and content analysis relating in a South African context. The author has chosen the qualitative nature of research to gain better understanding of the research problem. The qualitative research approach is found suitable because of its ontological stance and its position to accept multiple realities through the study of a small number of cases. This assists the researcher to develop an understanding of mass media effects and modern culture.

Du Plooy (2009:86) states that a qualitative research design is appropriate when a researcher aims to examine the values, experiences, needs, behavioural patterns and gaining a rich detailed understanding on an issue. One of the objectives of the study is to investigate how mass media has shaped the values and personal realities of the viewers, this design thus becomes an applicable method. Unlike quantitative that aims to achieve a quantifiable analysis.

The term research design refers to and encompasses decisions about how the research is conceptualized and the overall strategies integrated by the researcher to ensure that the research problem is addressed. It provides insight about how to conduct research by using a particular methodology. There are two types of research designs, quantitative and qualitative. According to Du Plooy (2009:86) a qualitative research design is appropriate when the research’s goal is to examine values, experiences, needs, behavioural patterns and gaining a rich detailed understanding of an issue. The qualitative approach, known as interpretivist, argues that human experience, which is the object of behavioural research, cannot be separated from the person who is experiencing it (Welman et al., 2005). A qualitative research approach, according to Kumar (2005:104) involves exploring, explaining and clarifying situations and experiences, hence the interview data collection method has been employed in the study, aimed to ask participants to how mass media has shaped their value, attitudes and mirror reflection images. The characteristics of a qualitative research design include inductive reasoning. Inductive reasoning according to Du Plooy (2009:86) is taking a sample from your research evidence to form a general conclusion or assumption, this means that the research conclusion is an assumption and not certain because it might not be the actual or true finding of the matter. It intends to prove only probable support to the conclusion. Inductive reasoning is applicable to the research because the researcher will use a sample to investigate the influence of mass media on the selected cultural groups, and thus draw up a conclusion based on the findings of the sample.