Teoría y práctica del procesamiento de la información en las investigaciones sociales. Un enfoque metodológico desde la integración cualitativo-cuantitativa

Among the essential aspects that all research must exhibit is its scientific rigor, which is valued fundamentally based on criteria of validity and reliability of the results obtained. These criteria must be systematically introduced throughout the research process, which then becomes a complex information system that manages, transmits and processes relevant information, to extract a new one and use it in solving problems (Gorina and Alonso, 2012, 2013.b). Hence, the absence of validity or reliability in any of the components of the aforementioned system could lead to a research result devoid of value. Under these conditions, the present result constitutes an approach to the scientific problem: What models and methodologies should be constructed and used in the investigations of the social sciences to strengthen, in a valid and reliable way, the interpretation of the qualities and features of the social reality ? Its objective is the elaboration of theoretical constructs and methodological instruments to interpret and drive the dynamics of information processing in social investigations. As part of the result, the main insufficiencies manifested in the processing of social information carried out in Cuban social science research were pointed out, with the study standing out for a random sample of 134 doctoral theses defended. It also provides a theoretical foundation of the process of scientific research in the social sciences and modeling the dynamics of information processing in these investigations; Likewise, a Method was developed for the integrative processing of information in social research, which was applied to the development of several investigations, some of them leading to doctoral and master's theses. The novelty consisted in having revealed an integrating logic between the understanding of the validity and reliability of social information and the systematization of the synthesis and concretion of this information, consistent with a qualitative and quantitative processing of it. The scientific impact is supported by the publication of 54 articles (8 of the G1, 14 of the G2, 19 of the G3 and 5 of the G4 and 8 contributions to the book chapter), the defense of 23 theses (5 of doctorate, 14 thesis of mastery and 4 undergraduate), the computerized record of a result, obtaining 8 awards (1 national 4 provincial and 3 university) and 5 recognitions of: the National Commission of Scientific Degrees, the Assembly of People's Power, the Directorate of Science and Technological Innovation from the University of Medical Sciences and the José Eduardo Dos Santos University, Angola. The social impact lies in the possibility of having favored the achievement of more significant results in the research process carried out by the professors in their doctoral and master's theses and by the students in their diploma work, after having strengthened in these researchers, the development of skills that allowed them to obtain levels of validity and reliability qualitatively superior in the processing of social information, by means of the integration of qualitative and quantitative processes, which resulted in the improvement of their investigative performance. In addition, there are 24 endorsements that support the proposal. The results achieved have made it possible to formulate the following conclusions: (i) In the current information society it is advisable to assume the Informational Approach of the Systemic Paradigm to enhance the rigor of social investigations; (ii) in the context studied there is an essentially fragmented and disjointed treatment of quantitative and qualitative research methods, which does not favor achieving the rigor required to uncover the qualitative, dynamic and complex nature of social reality ; (iii) the present research provides essential theoretical and practical results to enhance the rigor of social research, by facilitating its representation as a complex information system that manages, transmits and processes information to extract a new one, with superior qualities in the transformation of social reality; (iv) the introduction of results has improved the processing of information from various social investigations, leading to the successful defense of master's and doctoral theses, the publication of articles in prestigious international journals, the presentation of papers at events scientists and obtaining awards. This proposal reflects the experience of the authors based on a scientific and teaching work consolidated in the theme, which has been developed by them in the Didactic Research Group of Mathematics and Computing