Cornish, Flora 
ORCID: 0000-0002-3404-9385 and Gillespie, Alex ORCID: 0000-0002-0162-1269
(2009)
A pragmatist approach to the problem of knowledge in health psychology.
Journal of Health Psychology, 14 (6).
pp. 800-809.
ISSN 1359-1053
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Abstract
The multiplicity of forms of health-related knowledge, including biomedical knowledge, lay knowledge and critical constructionist knowledge, raises challenges for health researchers. On one hand, there is a demand for a pluralist acceptance of the variety of health-related knowledge. On the other, the need to improve health calls for action, and thus for choices between opposing forms of knowledge. The present article proposes a pragmatist approach to this epistemological problem. According to pragmatism, knowledge is a tool for action and as such it should be evaluated according to whether it serves our desired interests. We identify implications for research methodology and the choice of research goals.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Official URL: | http://hpq.sagepub.com/ |
| Additional Information: | © 2009 SAGE Publications |
| Divisions: | Psychological and Behavioural Science |
| Subjects: | B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology R Medicine > R Medicine (General) |
| Date Deposited: | 11 Oct 2011 15:05 |
| Last Modified: | 11 Sep 2025 07:41 |
| URI: | http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/38701 |
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