Phenomenology The “lived” experience Presented by Paul and the Lavenders

What we will cover Phenomenology as a Philosophy/History Transcendental Hermeneutic Existential Phenomenology as a methodology Descriptive Interpretive What Phenomenologists believe and do Strengths and Weaknesses Disciplines that use phenomonology An example in CSS

Phenomenology is… AND A Philosophy A Methodology “The renewed interest in phenomenology has seen a return to the much discussed question of what phenomenology is, for which a definitive answer has yet to be found” (Rouback, 2004)

Phenomenology as a Philosophy Hermeneutic (interpretive) Phenomenology Martin Heideggar 1927 Post WWII Positivism Existential Phenomenology Merleau-Ponty and Jean-Paul Sartre Transcendental Phenomenology Edmund Husserl “father” 1920 conflict

Transcendental Phenomenology Edmund Husserl (1859-1938) Sprouted from post WWII positivism. Phenomenology rejects positivism. This can be achieved through reduction (Epoché) “transcend” the experience to discover meaning. • knowing is always and only through a state of pure consciousness…the mind is directed toward objects of consciousness that can be reflected upon. There is “natural attitude” (our everyday involvement in the world) and “phenomenological attitude” (the philosophical act of pure reflection (where we suspend the natural attitude). Lived world

Transcendental (descriptive) Phenomenology Within the range of unique experiences, there is a larger, transcending, essential and unvarying quality of a phenomenon…that can be discovered! Unvarying Quality Of a Phenomenon

Hermeneutic (interpretive) Phenomenology “The “natural attitude” is integral to knowing” “reduction is impossible!!” Martin Heidegger (1889-1976) Hans-George Gadamer and Paul Ricoeur Disagrees with Husserl’s epoche. An effort to “get beneath” the subjective experience and find the genuine, objective nature of things. Focuses on the relationship between the event and the person, and how meaning is formed in that relationship. Leads to endless possibilities and endless interpretations. Our relationship with things is not the object/subject relationship. Being in the world

Existential Phenomenology "The most important lesson that the reduction teaches us…is the impossibility of a complete reduction." Existential Phenomenology Maurice Merleau-Ponty (1908-1961) and Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980) Rejects Husserl’s belief of transcendance and embraces the lived experience, the concrete. Aim is not to find a common theme, but the goal is to "concentrated upon re-achieving a direct and primitive contact with the world.“ Describes everyday experience as it is perceived by the consciousness of individuals. This “new” phenomenology rejects the historical division between the inquirer and the social world (subject/object) This movement marked a return to studying the direct, lived experience of the “field worker” as a source of knowledge about the world.

Phenomenology as a Methodology two camps-a resurgence in the 1970s DESCRIPTIVISTS Believe it is possible to suspend personal opinion to arrive at a single, essential, descriptive presentation of a phenomena Think that if there is more than one reality, that leaves doubt, ignorance, and a lack of clarity. Husserl followers (Rapport 2006) INTERPRETIVIST There are endless number of realities. Interpretations are all we have, because description IS an interpretive process Heidegger followers

Phenomenology…as a Methodology …is focused on the subjective experience of individuals or groups. …is personal. The world as experienced by the individual, not relationships between people. …uses small, purposive samples of 3-10 participants that have experienced the phenomenon. …attempts to describe accurately a phenomenon from the person’s perspective.

Phenomenology as a Methodology …is where art and science collide? The interpretation of lived experience and daily life. Understanding meaning from the world around us. …assumes that “There is a structure and essence to shared experiences that can be narrated” (Marshall 2006 p. 104) …assumes that the only things we can know, are those that are directly observable and experienced. The only reality we can know is the one we directly experience.

Phenomenologists…. REJECT scientific realism (objects exist independently of our knowledge of their existence). DISAGREE that the empirical sciences are better methods to describe the features of the world. DESCRIBE the ordinary, conscious experience of things. OPPOSE the acceptance of unobservable things. REJECT naturalism and positivism. BELIEVE objects in the natural world, cultural world, and abstract objects (like numbers and consciousness) can be made evident and thus known. RECOGNIZE the role of description prior to explanation by means of causes, purposes, or grounds. DEBATE whether Husserl’s transcendental epoche and reduction is useful or even possible. STUDY the “life-world” (the taken-for-granted pattern of everyday living). http://www.phenomenologycenter.org/phenom.htm#2

Strengths of phenomenology Efficient and Economical (only in terms of data generation or maybe not at all. . .) Direct Interaction with Participants Allows the researcher to ask for clarification and to ask immediate follow-up/probing questions Allows the researcher to observe nonverbal responses which can be supportive or contradictory to the verbal responses Data is in the participants’ own words

More Strengths Synergy: participants react to and build upon the responses of other participants. Flexible research tool Applicable to a wide range of settings and individuals. Results are easy to understand (in terms of people’s direct opinions and statements) Marvin Farber 1966

Therefore, it is useful for… A researcher who wants to understand human experience. • finding a universal meaning of an experience. • The reduction of context specific information to a more general understanding of the phenomenon is desired. • A researcher who is willing to become closely entwined with the research.

Weakness of phenomenology Findings are difficult to generalize to a larger population Small number of participants who are often attained in a convenient manner Individual responses are not always independent of one another Dominant or opinionated members may overshadow the thoughts of the other group members (only if group interviews are performed). Data is often difficult to analyze and summarize. Researcher may give too much credit to the results (immediacy of a personal opinion) Requires a quality moderator It is a “soft science” at best, really it is not science, it is more like philosophy and religion (Charles Harris, 2006) Critics of phenomenology think you cannot describe the unique experiences AND make generalizations about the experiences at the same time. Marvin Farber 1966

Disciplines that use Phenomenology Concepts such as suffering and well being and the intersubjective nature of the nurse-patient relationship cannot be studied from a paradigm traditional to the natural sciences. Rapport (2006) Nursing Education Psychology Social Sciences Urban Planning Art Pretty much anything

The Experience of Motor Disability A Young Child’s Sense of Time and the Clock Awaiting the Diagnosis The Stillness of a Secret Place Nature Experience of 8-12 year old Children Possibilities of the Father Role The Nature of at Home-ness Phenomenological Research Titles Loneliness A Lived Experience of Making a Drawing: Drawing Amy Mathematics Teaching: Moving from Telling to Listening Being Nostalgic Naming our Child Women’s Anxious Pursuit of Attractive Appearance

“…you can’t impose method on a phenomenon since that would do a great injustice to the integrity of that phenomenon…” “…the phenomenon dictates the method.” An Example from CSS……. Hycner 1999

SELECTING A PEAK TO CLIMB UNDERSTANDING THE DECISION MAKING PROCES OF EXPEDITION GROUPS IN THE NEPAL HIMALAYA Bret Meldrum

Understanding the Decision Making Process Purpose of the Study Description of the Process Lessons learned Applications of the study

Purpose Understanding decision making factors of climbing tourist to Nepal. Describe experience upon a peak to climb.

Description of the process Research pre-knowledge Factors for decisions Elevation of mountain Pioneering opportunities Phase 1 Collect contact information. Participants selection Coordinate meetings in Katmandu

Description of the process Phase 2: In-depth, face-to-face interview. Capture the content meaning. Semi-structured Interview General frame-setting questions Probing questions Point theoretical saturation Rich Text is generated

Description of the process Phase 3: Cluster themes Considerations coded analyzed Develop models Compare with theoretical literature Member check

Applications of the Study Enhance Conservation Planning Minimize social impacts

I really want to understand what’s going on here?

Activity What does carving a pumpkin mean to you? Describe your experience. The goal will be to accomplish a short phenomenological interview. The interviewers should go as deep as they can into the meaning of the experience: how it feels, what it means, what it was like, etc. phenomenology Structure the interview by asking about: Past experience with the phenomenon Present experience (within last 5 years) with the phenomenon Summarize on large sheet the description you get  You will have about 5-10 minutes for the interview We’ll then share some of the “data" with the class

Interview Groups Interviewer Interviewee Jess Katie Keith Jon Jill Ardis Eleonora Craig Alexis Interviewee Nancy Mark Robert Lena Laura Bill Hannah Cristian Kofi