Variations in Qualitative Variations in Qualitative InquiryInquiry

Instructor: Julian Hasford

Teaching Assistant: Keith Adamson

PS398 Qualitative Methods in Psychology

January 15, 2009

AgendaAgenda

• Review Review

• Lecture: Variations in Qual Inquiry ILecture: Variations in Qual Inquiry I– Glossary: Ethnomethodology and Heuristic

Inquiry

• Group ExerciseGroup Exercise

• Course Check-inCourse Check-in

ReviewReview

• The Main IdeasThe Main Ideas– Scientific research is a way of creating knowledge through

systematic, empirical processes– There are 3 main scientific paradigms that differ in their

assumptions about what knowledge is and how it should be created

• Realist, Constructivist, Critical• Ontological, Epistemological, Methodological, Axiological, Rhetorical

– Qualitative research is a methodology for creating knowledge • Goal of deep understanding of subjectivity & social processes• Through collection and analysis of non-numerical data

– There are various theoretical traditions within qualitative research traditions that differ

• Foundational questions and Methodological approaches

Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

• By the end of this session, students should By the end of this session, students should be able tobe able to– Identify the disciplinary origins, foundational

questions, and methodological approaches of various qualitative theoretical traditions

– Analyze the paradigmatic and philosophical assumptions of various qualitative theoretical orientations

Variation in QualitativeVariation in Qualitative

• There is great diversity There is great diversity withinwithin qualitative qualitative researchresearch

• Theoretical traditions vary in terms ofTheoretical traditions vary in terms of– Disciplinary origins– Foundational questions (Goals)– Methodological approaches

• Design, Data Collection, Analysis

– Paradigmatic influences and philosophical assumptions

Variation in QualitativeVariation in Qualitative

• Various methodological traditionsVarious methodological traditions– Ethnography – Autoethnography– Ethnomethodology– Heuristics– Phenomenology– Symbolic Interaction

Variation in QualitativeVariation in Qualitative

• Various methodological traditionsVarious methodological traditions– Hermeneutics– Feminist– Narratology– Participatory (Collaborative)– Grounded Theory

Disciplinary VariationDisciplinary Variation

– Anthropology Ethnography

– Literary Arts Autoethnography

– Philosophy Phenomenology

– Psychology Heuristics

– Sociology Ethnomethodology

– Social Psychology Symbolic Interaction

EthnographyEthnography

• Foundational questionFoundational question– What is the culture of this group of people?

• Culture: a collection of standards for beliefs and behaviour

• Group: Community, Neighbourhood, Organization

• Disciplinary OriginDisciplinary Origin– Anthropology

• Earliest qualitative tradition• First emerged as method for studying the other

EthnographyEthnography

• Methodological approachesMethodological approaches– Intensive fieldwork and participant

observation (immersion in the culture)– Two major perspectives

• Etic (Outsider): Ethnographer strives for distance or “higher” level of conceptual analysis

• Emic (Insider): Ethnographer strives to ‘capture’ and be true to the subjects of study

AutoethnographyAutoethnography

• Foundational QuestionFoundational Question– How does my own experience of this culture

offer insights about this culture?

• Disciplinary OriginDisciplinary Origin– Anthropology (Ethnography) and Humanities

• Emerged from post-modern critique of ethnography

• Questioned etic notions of detachment and the other, power imbalances between ethnographers and groups studied

AutoethnographyAutoethnography

• Methodological approachesMethodological approaches– Introspections – Participant observation (Self-awareness)– Creative analytical practices– Evocative, artistic, narrative writing– Criteria for quality

• Substantive contribution• Aesthetic merit• Reflexivity• Impact• Expression of a reality

PhenomenologyPhenomenology

PS 398PS 398

What is PhenomenologyWhat is Phenomenology

• A phenomenological study describes the A phenomenological study describes the meaning for several individuals of their meaning for several individuals of their lived experiences of a concept or a lived experiences of a concept or a phenomenon.phenomenon.

• The research describes what all The research describes what all participants have in common as they participants have in common as they experience a phenomenonexperience a phenomenon

QuestionQuestion

• If I do a phenomenological study on the If I do a phenomenological study on the lived experience of being a gold medalist lived experience of being a gold medalist athlete at the Olympics and I study five athlete at the Olympics and I study five athletes, and my study concludes with five athletes, and my study concludes with five unique views of the lived experience, is my unique views of the lived experience, is my study complete?study complete?

Background on Background on PhenomenologyPhenomenology

• Draws heavily on the writings of German Draws heavily on the writings of German philosopher Edmund Husserl ( 1859-1938)philosopher Edmund Husserl ( 1859-1938)

• A return to the traditional task of A return to the traditional task of philosophyphilosophy

• A philosophy without suppositionA philosophy without supposition

• The intentionality of consciousnessThe intentionality of consciousness

• The refusal of subject-object dichotomyThe refusal of subject-object dichotomy

Two Broad descriptions are Two Broad descriptions are sought in Phenomenological sought in Phenomenological

researchresearch• What is the nature of the phenomenon?What is the nature of the phenomenon?

• What are its qualities?What are its qualities?

• What have you experienced in terms of What have you experienced in terms of the phenomenon?the phenomenon?

Textural Description: Textural Description: The researcher The researcher writes about “what” was experienced, a writes about “what” was experienced, a description of the meaning individuals description of the meaning individuals have given to experience.have given to experience.

Two Broad descriptions are Two Broad descriptions are sought in Phenomenological sought in Phenomenological

researchresearch• What appears at different times and under What appears at different times and under

varying conditions?varying conditions?• How was it experienced?How was it experienced?• What context or situations have typically What context or situations have typically

influenced or affected your experiences of the influenced or affected your experiences of the phenomenon?phenomenon?

Structural Description:Structural Description: The researcher writes a The researcher writes a description of “how” the phenomenon was description of “how” the phenomenon was experienced by individuals in the studyexperienced by individuals in the study

Presenting the essence of a Presenting the essence of a phenomenonphenomenon

• The essential invariant structure:The essential invariant structure: This is This is the essence of the phenomenon. It the essence of the phenomenon. It combines the textural and structural combines the textural and structural descriptions and pulls the common thread descriptions and pulls the common thread through all the experiences. It means that through all the experiences. It means that all experiences have an underlying all experiences have an underlying structure.structure.

Glossary: Heuristic Inquiry

Glossary: Heuristic Inquiry

Definition:• an extremely demanding process that involves self discipline,

self searching, and self reflection. It does not have a fixed time for research and is a very rigorous process.

• It is research that follows Clark Moustaka’s philosophy that “in every learner, in every person, there are creative sources of energy and meaning that are often tacit, hidden, or denied" (Moustakas, 2001).

• Phases of heuristic Inquiry include initial engagement, immersion, incubation, illumination, explication, creative synthesis, and validation.

• The Text Indicates that Heuristic Inquiry is phenomenological inquiry that brings to the fore the personal experience and insights of the researcher. There are 2 elements,

• first the researcher must have interest in the subject and

• second, others who are part of the study must have the same intensity of experience.

Methodological Significance

Example:

Rising above My Raisin’? Using Heuristic Inquiry to Explore the Effectsof the Lumbee Dialect on Ethnic IdentityDevelopment

Chris Scott and Kathleen Brown American Indian Quarterly; v32 n4 p485-521 Fall 2008

Rising above my Raisin’?

• Background:

• Design:

Rising above my Raisin’?

• Findings

References

• Moustakas, C. (1990) Heuristic Research: Design, methodology and applications. Sage. Statement. Available at:      HYPERLINK "http://unioninstitute.edu/Faculty/FacultyGrad/Moustakas.html" http://unioninstitute.edu/Faculty/FacultyGrad/Moustakas.html

• Patton, M.Q. (2002). Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods (3rd Ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

• Scott, C. & Brown, K. (2008) Rising above My Raisin'?: Using Heuristic Inquiry to Explore the Effects of the Lumbee Dialect on Ethnic Identity Development. American Indian Quarterly, 32, p. 485-521.

• West, W. (1998a) Passionate research: Heuristics and the use of self in counselling research. Changes, 16, p. 60-66.

• West, W. (1998b) Critical subjectivity: Use of self in counselling research. Counselling, (August), p. 228-230.

Dana Pettus & Livia Dittmer

EthonomethodologyDefinition

A term invented by Harold Garfinkel (1967) while analyzing jurors.

"If we translated the 'ethno' part of the term as 'members' or 'folk' or 'people', then the term's meaning can be stated as: members' methods of making sense of their social world" (Wallace & Wolf, 1980, p.263).

"...the ordinary methods that ordinary people use to realize their ordinary actions" (Coulon, 1995)

EthonomethodologyTheoretical and Methodological Significance

EthonomethodologyExample

EthonomethodologyDesign

Findings

ReferencesPatton, M.Q. (2002). Qualitative Research & Evaluation

Methods (3rd Ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.West, C. Zimmerman, D.H. (1987). Doing Gender.

Gender and Society, 1(2), 125-151.Wallace, R.A. & Wolf, A. (1980). Contemporary

Sociological Theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Coulon, A. (1995). Ethnomethodology. Qualitative Methods Research Series, 36. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Garfinkel, H. (1967). Studies in Ethnomethodology. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Group ExerciseGroup Exercise

Course Check-inCourse Check-in