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Psychological research as the phenomenologist views it

01 Jan 1978-pp 48-71
About: The article was published on 1978-01-01 and is currently open access. It has received 3449 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Psychological research.
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the essential similarities and differences between hermeneutic phenomenology and phenomenology from historical and methodological perspectives are discussed, considering the philosophical bases, assumptions, focus of research and research outcomes that differentiate these approaches.
Abstract: Hermeneutic phenomenology and phenomenology have become increasingly popular as research methodologies, yet confusion still exists about the unique aspects of these two methodologies. This article provides a discussion of the essential similarities and differences between hermeneutic phenomenology and phenomenology from historical and methodological perspectives. Consideration is given to the philosophical bases, assumptions, focus of research and research outcomes that differentiate these approaches.

2,064 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors describe the ways in which three different qualitative researchers combined across-case coding and sorting with a variety of within-case data management and analysis techniques to produce contextually grounded, generalizable findings.
Abstract: The generalizations developed by qualitative researchers are embedded in the contextual richness of individual experience. Qualitative data management strategies that depend solely on coding and sorting of texts into units of like meaning can strip much of this contextual richness away. To prevent this, some authors have recommended treating individual accounts as whole cases or stories, but whole cases are difficult to compare with one another when the goal of the research is to develop generalizations that represent multiple accounts. In this article, the authors describe the ways in which three different qualitative researchers combined across-case coding and sorting with a variety of within-case data management and analysis techniques to produce contextually grounded, generalizable findings.

877 citations


Cites methods from "Psychological research as the pheno..."

  • ...In this phenomenological study (Kavanaugh, 1997), the goal was to develop the essential structure of perinatal loss using the methods developed by Colaizzi (1978)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examine six particular areas of contention in the spirit of fostering dialogue, and promoting openness and clarity in phenomenological inquiry, and examine each of these areas of controversy.
Abstract: Phenomenological researchers generally agree that our central concern is to return to embodied, experiential meanings aiming for a fresh, complex, rich description of a phenomenon as it is concretely lived. Yet debates abound when it comes to deciding how best to carry out this phenomenological research in practice. Confusion about how to conduct appropriate phenomenological research makes our field difficult for novices to access. Six particular questions are contested: (1) How tightly or loosely should we define what counts as “phenomenology”? (2) Should we always aim to produce a general (normative) description of the phenomenon, or is idiographic analysis a legitimate aim? (3) To what extent should interpretation be involved in our descriptions? (4) Should we set aside or bring to the foreground researcher subjectivity? (5) Should phenomenology be more science than art? (6) Is phenomenology a modernist or postmodernist project, or neither? In this paper, I examine each of these areas of contention in the spirit of fostering dialogue, and promoting openness and clarity in phenomenological inquiry.

799 citations


Additional excerpts

  • ...15 Colaizzi (1978) recommends participant verification as a final stage of his seven-step analysis....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is claimed that if the research product is well signposted, the readers will be able to travel easily through the worlds of the participants and makers of the text and decide for themselves whether the text is believable or plausible (the authors' terms for rigour).
Abstract: This paper is a critical review of recent discussions of rigour in nursing research. We will argue that 'borrowing' evaluation criteria from one paradigm of inquiry and applying them to another is problematic. We attempt to map the 'rigour' field and add a dimension to the existing debate about rigour and qualitative research through inclusion of reflexivity guided by philosophical hermeneutics. We describe reflexivity and appeal to writers to incorporate a reflexive account into their research product by signposting to readers 'what is going on' while researching. We contend that researchers bring to the research product, data generated, a range of literature, a positioning of this literature, a positioning of oneself, and moral socio-political contexts. We suggest that reflexive research is characterized by ongoing self-critique and self-appraisal and that the research product can be given shape by the politics of location and positioning. We emphasize that in the creation of a text (the research product) it is desirable that the researcher be a skilled writer. Finally we claim that if the research product is well signposted, the readers will be able to travel easily through the worlds of the participants and makers of the text (the researchers) and decide for themselves whether the text is believable or plausible (our terms for rigour).

769 citations


Cites methods from "Psychological research as the pheno..."

  • ...The procedures nurses are using for analysis of phenomenological data are based on the work of psychologists such as Giorgi (1985) and Colaizzi (1978)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This article aims to explain phenomenology by reviewing the key philosophical and methodological differences between two of the major approaches to phenomenology: transcendental and hermeneutic and demonstrates how it can be applied to HPE research.
Abstract: As a research methodology, phenomenology is uniquely positioned to help health professions education (HPE) scholars learn from the experiences of others. Phenomenology is a form of qualitative research that focuses on the study of an individual’s lived experiences within the world. Although it is a powerful approach for inquiry, the nature of this methodology is often intimidating to HPE researchers. This article aims to explain phenomenology by reviewing the key philosophical and methodological differences between two of the major approaches to phenomenology: transcendental and hermeneutic. Understanding the ontological and epistemological assumptions underpinning these approaches is essential for successfully conducting phenomenological research. This review provides an introduction to phenomenology and demonstrates how it can be applied to HPE research. We illustrate the two main sub-types of phenomenology and detail their ontological, epistemological, and methodological differences. Phenomenology is a powerful research strategy that is well suited for exploring challenging problems in HPE. By building a better understanding of the nature of phenomenology and working to ensure proper alignment between the specific research question and the researcher’s underlying philosophy, we hope to encourage HPE scholars to consider its utility when addressing their research questions.

580 citations


Cites methods from "Psychological research as the pheno..."

  • ...One commonly used transcendental phenomenological method is that of psychologist Clark Moustakas, and other approaches include the works of: Colaizzi [26], Giorgi [27], and Polkinghorne [28]....

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  • ...Tavakol et al. [32] used a descriptive phenomenological approach (i. e. using the methodology of Colaizzi and Giorgi) to report on the phenomenon of empathy as experienced by medical students during the course of their training....

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