1. Place of Qualitative Research in Psychology Of specific relevance to psychology; Pluralisation of life worlds “growing individualisation of ways of living & biographical patterns” Diversity of millieus, lifestyles, subcultures

2. Era of grand narratives/theories over in favour of local, situated, temporal … Era of grand narratives/theories over in favour of local, situated, temporal … Confronted with new social contexts & perspectives: failure of traditional methodologies due to differentiation of object(s of study) Confronted with new social contexts & perspectives: failure of traditional methodologies due to differentiation of object(s of study)

3. Most empirical social research has been based on standarised surveys (aim to document & analyse freq. & dist. of social phenomena in general pop. (e.g., certain attitudes) – results rarely perceived/used in everyday life. Most empirical social research has been based on standarised surveys (aim to document & analyse freq. & dist. of social phenomena in general pop. (e.g., certain attitudes) – results rarely perceived/used in everyday life. Aim of qualitative: to formulate subject & situation- related statements which are empirically well-founded. Aim of qualitative: to formulate subject & situation- related statements which are empirically well-founded.

4. Long tradition of qualitative in psychology (Wundt 1920’s Folk Psychology, Verstehen) (see Table 2.1) Long tradition of qualitative in psychology (Wundt 1920’s Folk Psychology, Verstehen) (see Table 2.1) But psychologists prone to putting the methodological cart before the horse: Ontological, epistemological & methodological questions asked/answered in ways that implicitly privilege the experimental method. But psychologists prone to putting the methodological cart before the horse: Ontological, epistemological & methodological questions asked/answered in ways that implicitly privilege the experimental method. Question not whether to count or not count, measure or not measure … but what to count and measure, and what one discovers when doing so. Question not whether to count or not count, measure or not measure … but what to count and measure, and what one discovers when doing so.

5. Can an objective conception of reality truly exist? Can an objective conception of reality truly exist? "How do you know what is real?" "How do you know what is real?" Most psychology research paradigms and methods deny the existence of an alternative symbolic universe. Most psychology research paradigms and methods deny the existence of an alternative symbolic universe.

6. Classic lab experiment vs. methods more suited to real-life environments. Methods: overall design of an investigation, the basic plan or strategy of the research and the logic behind it Methods: overall design of an investigation, the basic plan or strategy of the research and the logic behind it Techniques: the ways in which we obtain indices of human behaviour and thought Techniques: the ways in which we obtain indices of human behaviour and thought Choices shaped by general research questions and theoretical framework.

7. Natural Science model & Hermeneutic model Hermeneutics, interpretation, the art of the technique of reading - treats persons and societies as texts. Aimed at the search for meaning, favours qualitative analysis that generates knowledge of particulars: non-positivist philosophies of science. Hermeneutics, interpretation, the art of the technique of reading - treats persons and societies as texts. Aimed at the search for meaning, favours qualitative analysis that generates knowledge of particulars: non-positivist philosophies of science. The Natural Science model - seeks causality, favours quantitative forms of analysis that generate universal knowledge: positivist philosophy of science. The Natural Science model - seeks causality, favours quantitative forms of analysis that generate universal knowledge: positivist philosophy of science.

8. POSITIVIST - deductive cause & effect relationships cause & effect relationships control, predict etc control, predict etc universal knowledge universal knowledge quantitative analysis quantitative analysis NON-POSITIVIST - inductive describe rather than relate describe rather than relate non-directional orientation non-directional orientation knowledge of particulars knowledge of particulars qualitative analysis qualitative analysis

9. Scientific model  Empiricism  Measurement  Operational  Falsifiablity  Replicability  Impartiality An idealised model of science

10. Qualitative research An array of alternative approaches, don’t build accounts directly or only from quantitative data (See Table 2.2) An array of alternative approaches, don’t build accounts directly or only from quantitative data (See Table 2.2) Realist : Increase number of ‘confounding’ variables to mimic real world – ecological validity Social Constructionist: Science is knowledge which creates as well as describes the world Methodological pluralism, a multi-method approach. The researcher reserves the right to design the research as it evolves, building flexibility into the design. Methodological pluralism, a multi-method approach. The researcher reserves the right to design the research as it evolves, building flexibility into the design.

11. Advantages of quantitative methods numbers enable greater precision in measurement numbers enable greater precision in measurement well established statistical methods for analysing data well established statistical methods for analysing data quantitative measurements faciliate comparison quantitative measurements faciliate comparison fit in well with hypothetico-deductive approaches fit in well with hypothetico-deductive approaches sampling theory can be used to estimate how well findings generalise sampling theory can be used to estimate how well findings generalise

12. Advantages of qualitative methods use ordinary language use ordinary language data from open questions and observation yielding verbal description data from open questions and observation yielding verbal description enable individual to be studied in depth/detail enable individual to be studied in depth/detail avoid simplifications imposed by quantification avoid simplifications imposed by quantification data usually vivid and easy to grasp data usually vivid and easy to grasp good for hypothesis generation and for exploratory discovery oriented research good for hypothesis generation and for exploratory discovery oriented research gives more freedom to participant gives more freedom to participant

13. Assumptions of qualitative designs concerned with process rather than outcomes or products concerned with process rather than outcomes or products focus on meaning focus on meaning researcher is the primary instrument for data collection & analysis researcher is the primary instrument for data collection & analysis involves fieldwork, occurs in natural settings involves fieldwork, occurs in natural settings the data that emerge are descriptive the data that emerge are descriptive inductive, theories/hypotheses not established a priori inductive, theories/hypotheses not established a priori i diographic interpretation, i.e., attention to particulars i diographic interpretation, i.e., attention to particulars emergent design emergent design

14. Qualitative research questions discover (for example, grounded theory) discover (for example, grounded theory) explain or seek to understand (for example, ethnography) explain or seek to understand (for example, ethnography) explore a process (for example, case study) explore a process (for example, case study) describe the experiences (for example, phenomenology) describe the experiences (for example, phenomenology)

15. Good for research that delves in depth into complexities and processes that delves in depth into complexities and processes on little known phenomena or innovative systems on little known phenomena or innovative systems that seeks to explore where and why policy and local knowledge are at odds that seeks to explore where and why policy and local knowledge are at odds on informal and unstructured linkages and processes in organisations on informal and unstructured linkages and processes in organisations on real as opposed to stated organisational goals on real as opposed to stated organisational goals that cannot be done experimentally for ethical or practical reasons that cannot be done experimentally for ethical or practical reasons for which relevant variables have yet to be identified for which relevant variables have yet to be identified

16. Do justice to object of study Importance of contextsetting participant’s frame of reference Conduct research where all contextual variables are operating

17. Developments attention to the role of language attention to the role of language attention to the ways in which accounts can be studied to construct a picture of the world; attention to the ways in which accounts can be studied to construct a picture of the world; recognising that different discourses paint different pictures; recognising that different discourses paint different pictures; the importance of reflexivity in the account that researchers give of their work the importance of reflexivity in the account that researchers give of their work Return to Oral; Local; Particular; Timely. Not just about correct methodologies or interpretation practices & policy: Qualitative research linked to specific attitude on part of researcher. Qualitative research linked to specific attitude on part of researcher.

18. Representationist views challenged Perception and knowledge of world generated by interaction with the world. Knowledge - result of ongoing interpretation. Cognition is embodied action. Perception and knowledge of world generated by interaction with the world. Knowledge - result of ongoing interpretation. Cognition is embodied action. Debate on the nature of knowledge and the status of research methods tied in with our perceptions of ourselves and the structure of society. Different agendas and projects reflected in the dominant metaphors and techniques used at any given time in any given situation. Debate on the nature of knowledge and the status of research methods tied in with our perceptions of ourselves and the structure of society. Different agendas and projects reflected in the dominant metaphors and techniques used at any given time in any given situation.

19. Required reading Harr é, R. (2004) Staking our claim for qualitative psychology as science. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 1(1), 3-14. Harr é, R. (2004) Staking our claim for qualitative psychology as science. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 1(1), 3-14. Moghaddam, F. M. (2005) Great Ideas in Psychology: A Cultural & Historical Introduction. One World Press: Oxford. Ch. 2: The Psychology Laboratory Ch. 20: Social Constructionism.