arahanga-doyle Flashcards
What type of data does qualitative research produce?
Descriptive data, such as observations of behaviour or personal accounts of experiences
Goal of qualitative research
To look @ how people can perceive the world from different vantage points
Does qualitative research focus more on intentional or material properties?
Intentional properties
Material properties def
Quantifiable properties of a thing or phenomena
Intentional properties def + example
Meaning that people assign to the properties of a thing or phenomena (if it involves ppl, then meaning matters)
Example: measuring sound waves would be the material properties, but when those waves hit our ears we make meaning of them (INTENTIONAL)
Does qualitative research usually have a specific hypothesis?
No - usually more guided by research question
Is qualitative research usually bottom-up or top-down?
Bottom-up - get data + build theory from that data
How do u typically gather data in quantitative research?
Mostly ask closed questions of large samples 2 test v specific hypotheses
How does qualitative research represent psychological phenomena?
Discursively - looking @ pattern of language
1. Captures original quality of data
2. Primarily uses quotes n images
Ontology def
Question of existence itself, all research is underpinned by a set of assumptions abt the nature of reality
The two major ontological positions r.. ?
Naïve realism and strong relativism
Naïve realism def
There is one ‘true’ reality (independent of perception), our representations of things in the world r accurate to how they actually r
Strong relativism def
Ppl’s realties differ relative 2 perception (in particular our reality is created thru language - e.g. colours?), view that our representations of things in the world r socially constructed + can’t b seen as simple reflections of how these things actually r
What research types use naïve realism + strong relativism, respectively?
Quantitative research primarily uses naïve realism, qualitative research primarily uses strong relativism
Critical realism def
- Lies in between naïve realism n strong relativism
- Disagrees w/ strong relativism in that there is a reality independent of our own perceptions, agrees w/ it in that understanding of reality is somewhat culturally + historically specific (research can never b truly objective)
- Agrees w/ realist position that our knowledge of smth doesn’t bring it into existence
Epistemology def + two main types
Nature, origin, + limitations of knowledge
Two main perspectives r positivism + social constructivism
Positivism def (typically quantitative)
View that knowledge + meaning is waiting 2 b discovered and is then considered ‘true’ until disproven (thru research)
1. Knowledge can only b gained thru observation, researchers should be sceptical using participant reports (not v subjective)
Social constructivism def (typically qualitative)
View that knowledge + meaning is being generated by attempts to explain the human world
1. Science is impacted on by the historical, political, and social context etc.
2. U can never know objective truth, research methods that look 4 meaning in the world r seen as more useful
3. Knowledge can b created w/ in the research itself
Reflexivity def
Researcher’s self-awareness
Can qualitative psychs b objective?
NO!! they’re ppl studying ppl - they’re embedded in the world
Double hermeneutic in qualitative research
Within a qualitative interview or focus group there r 2 levels of interpretation:
1. Participant trying to make sense of the research topic
2. Researcher is trying to make sense of how the participant is trying to make sense of their world
Qualitative vs. quantitative research questions
Qualitative - tend to be broader, more looking for understanding than a specific outcome
Quantitative - predictions (or hypotheses) r made about the expected findings of a study based on a numerical prediction
Sampling in quantitative research
Led by statistical power (enough to detect hypothesised effect), must be random sampling
Sampling in qualitative research
Led by the research question, requires enough depth to be informative. Might take the form of:
1. Sample of convenience (e.g. interviewing flatmates), not ideal but sometimes necessary
2. Purposeful sampling (seeking out participants w/ particular characteristics)
3. Snowball sampling
4. Theoretical sampling
Theoretical sampling def
Have ur topic + get set of participants, ask questions abt that topic → use what you’ve learned to influence how ur data collection might change
Diff types of purposeful sampling
- Homogenous sample - prioritises similarity, participants have a common experience
- Comparative sample - prioritises a range of experiences based around the same topic
- Diverse sample - prioritises maximal difference 2 gain multiple perspectives
4 ethical principles:
Cultural sensitivity
Informed consent
Deception n protection from harm
Confidentiality
Quantitative view of participant involvement + ethics implications
‘Subjects’ hold information to be gathered by researchers; they are subjected to research
1. Often focuses on anonymising data set
2. Needs 2 b approved by ethics committee
Qualitative view of participant involvement + ethics implications
‘Participants’ should be fully engaged in the research (doing the research with them not on them), co-creation of knowledge
1. Co-researchers may require research training (data could contain personal/identifying info - need 2 b sensitive)
2. Needs 2 b approved by ethics committee
Cultural sensitivity def + example application
Contemporary research privileges Western ways of knowing (predominantly a realist ontology - 1 true reality independent of perception), need 2 b sensitive 2 other cultures’ existence
Example application: interviewers have 2 build rapport, think on their feet; may have 2 repair damage, b more than just a neutral listener
Informed consent def
Need 2 inform participants abt research, get consent in the form of: signed (consent form), proxy (some1 else signs 4 participant), passive (properly informing ur participant n they don’t refuse)
Power of researcher: Sommers & Bohns, 2018
Experiencer (asked 2 hand over their phone) and forecaster group (described what happened 2 experiencer group, then asked 2 questions: would a reasonable person hand over their phone, would u hand over ur phone). Results:
1. Most forecasters believed a reasonable person wouldn’t hand over phone, 97% of experiencers handed over phone
Deception + protection from harm (guidelines by NZ Psych Society):
- Deception only used when no alternative - never w/ children, never in qualitative research (want 2 explicitly know participant’s perception of that topic)
- Can b important in experimental research where awareness reduces the effect (e.g. prejudice)
- Once u use it, important 2 debrief participant - disclose deception, offer info abt sources of help when relevant
Confidentiality, has 2 important practices (access + removal of identifiers):
- Access 2 data - only researchers + participant, need 2 have well-trained co-researchers
- Removal of identifiers from transcripts
How long is quantitative data stored?
Usually 10 yrs, should u delete private data earlier
Qualitative data analysis: Braun & Clarke’s 2006 thematic analysis technique
- Generated by systematic searching within your qualitative data
- Usually involves a central organising concept/idea (thematic solar system)
- Supported by example quotes or images
- Is reflexive
Most common data collection 4 qualitative research:
1-on-1 interviews
Are smaller or bigger samples better for qualitative research?
Smaller - more in-depth
Unstructured interview features
- Research topic in mind, more exploratory - bottom up
- Good 4 research development n pilot studies
Structured interview features (more common than unstructured)
- Closed questions or scoring answers to open-ended ones (yield NUMERICAL data)
- V fixed topic + fixed order of questions
- Clear roles (researcher + participant), basically like being read a questionnaire
- Expansion allowed only if pre-defined - branching (e.g. R u a student at Otago? If yes, go to question 2; if no, go to question 7.)
- Good 4 diagnostic screening interviews (looking at what they have) + quantitative research (census?)
Semi-structured interview features (more common than unstructured, more planning involved than for structured)
- Open-ended questioning or probing following closed questions, question order may vary
- Expansion on topic encouraged - want participant 2 say more abt topic than just the question u have planned
- Almost equal roles - interviewer is seeking view of expert
- Use topic guide or interview schedule
- Good 4 focused qualitative research
Itinerant process
Where u return + come back to the data itself (e.g. re-read transcript)
Focus group features
- Apply interview techniques 2 groups (n = 3+)
Informal discussion among selected individuals abt specific topics - Typically shorter than a 1-on-1 interview, usually want it 2 b under an hr
When did market research stop being so quantitative?
1940s - w/ WW2
Guidance def
Type + amount of questions researcher will ask
Interpretative repertoire
One of the main ways in which discourse analysts approach their text, common sense ways in which we make sense of our social world (terms we use, metaphors we draw on)
Subject position
Availability of ways of categorising/understanding the particular position u can take up w/ in an interpretative repertoire
Ideological dilemmas
Interpretative repertoires can b contradictory + when we speak on things we draw on particular arguments n descriptions, but don’t always remain consistent - shift w/ in the repertoire that we’re using
Photo elicitation def
Research method that involves the use of photos w/ in an interview or focus group discussion. Essentially, photos as interview prompts.
Pros of photo elicitation
- Memory aid - can elicit more info, can evoke different kind of info
- Build rapport - can ‘break ice’ in a research setting
- Empowering - particularly in participant-led photo elicitation
Researcher-led photo elicitation
Research provides photo (typically 1+, a handful) related 2 the research question
1. Photos primarily used as interview aid (2nd to participant quotes, useful 4 questions + memory)
2. Limited analysis (only investigating participant response 2 photos - not why they took the photos, also - less photos/photos being reused)
Participant-led photo elicitation
Participant provides photo (most common form is participant generated - participant takes photo, but can include any photo)
1. Used w/ in interview + analysis (typically more meaningful photos than 4 research-led)
2. Wider scope 4 analysis (meaning of photo, reason 4 including photo, response 2 photo)
Participatory/’photo voice’ methodology
- Higher level of participation, actively include participants throughout entire research process
- Prompts equality between participants + researchers, empowers participants 2 use their lived experiences 2 provide valuable data that can act as a catalyst 4 change
Is media a direct or indirect form info sharing?
Indirect - an example of direct would b actually talking in-person 2 someone