Understanding through Uncertainty:

schema in research interviews

Paper presented at the AES Conference September 2010

by David Roberts

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www.robertsbrown.com

david@robertsbrown.com

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Rorschach

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Haire’s Shopping List I

Pound and a half of hamburger

2 loaves Wonder bread

bunch of carrots

1 can Rumford's Baking Powder

Nescafe instant coffee

2 cans Del Monte peaches

5 lbs. potatoes

Haire’s Shopping List II

Pound and a half of hamburger

2 loaves Wonder bread

bunch of carrots

1 can Rumford's Baking Powder

1 lb. Maxwell House Coffee (Drip Ground)

2 cans Del Monte peaches

5 lbs. potatoes

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Projective Techniques

present participants with ambiguous stimuli

Participants “need to make sense of, by drawing on their own experiences, thoughts, feelings and imagination.” (Catterall & Ibbotson 2000)

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WorkSpace

Source based on Hick 2005

Audio-visual scratchpad

Phonological Loop

Central Executive

subvocalisation

Human Brain Activity

Source: Paulescu et al , 1993 Figure 2, p. 343

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Most Behaviour is automatic or driven by emotions

“Most of what drives behaviour is below conscious awareness (adaptive unconscious)” (Gladwell 2005 quoted in Keegan 2010)

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Yes Prime Minister – Opinion Poll

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=2yhN1IDLQjo&feature=related

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Judgment requires emotion

“Emotions rule all decision making; people are never totally rational; judgment requires emotion” (Keegan 2010 following Damasio 2000)

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Thematic Apperception Testing

Source: Hurworth, Centre for Program Evaluation, University of Melbourne