What concept involves portraying a phenomenon from a new perspective in qualitative research?

The correct choice is focused on the use of descriptive categories, which are essential in qualitative research for analyzing and interpreting the gathered data. Descriptive categories allow researchers to organize observations and experiences into meaningful segments. This organization helps in portraying complex phenomena from new perspectives by highlighting patterns, themes, and relationships within the data.

Through the lens of descriptive categories, qualitative researchers can provide a richer, more nuanced understanding of the subject under study. They can capture the essence of participants' experiences and viewpoints, thereby generating insights that might not be apparent through more rigid frameworks. Such categorization enables the researcher to represent the phenomenon in a way that brings forth previously hidden aspects and encourages new interpretations.

In contrast, the other concepts, while significant in their own right, do not directly encapsulate the idea of presenting a phenomenon from a new viewpoint in the same way that descriptive categories do. Shared pathways or meaning emphasizes collective understanding, which might limit individual experiences. Dense explanatory descriptions can be informative but may not always shift perspective. Being restricted by a priori frameworks suggests a limitation on exploration and could hinder innovative insights. Therefore, descriptive categories are most aligned with the goal of portraying phenomena from fresh perspectives in qualitative research.