L10 - Discursive Psychology Flashcards
What is discursive psychology (DP) concerned with examining?
The ‘constitutive’ nature of discourse
(written text and talk)
What ‘Doise’ level of analysis does DP look at?
level 4: ideological
the way we engage with each other at a broader ideological level of analysis
Does DP use ‘qualitative methodology’?
No
- It is fundamentally different from mainstream psychology in the way it views language*
- Preference for ‘naturally occurring’ data (i.e. comments and media)*
Is discursive psychology (DP) social constructionist or cognitivist?
Social constructionist
(non-cognitivist)
What is reality according to discursive psychology (DP)?
Reality is constructed through the meaning we give to words and is constructed through interaction.
Does DP believe that objects in the world are reality?
No
All objects, events, people etc. are constructed as they are talked about in interaction
What is the behaviour that DP focuses on?
Talk (conversation)
Are DP researchers interested in beliefs?
No
They are interested in how the ‘talk’ about their so-called beliefs
What is ‘situated discourse’ in DP?
The ‘action orientation of talk’
how people use language to ‘do things’ or ‘get things done’
Why is language ‘functional’ according to DP?
People use language to do things
persuade, excuse, justify etc.
DP History
Wittgenstein (1953) believed that language is a form of ‘social practice’ rather than a fixed system of meanings that are represented in the world.
True or False
True
Did Wittgenstein believe that there are two cognitive phenomena - cognition and language?
No
- He thought ‘language itself is the vehicle of thought’*
- (thinking happens through talk)*
DP history
John Austin’s speech act theory (1962) argued that because people use language to persuade, argue, blame, excuse etc language is therefore ______
functional
History of DP
What does ethnomethodology and conversation analysis (CA) study?
The use of language and conversation in its everyday natural settings
focused on the ordering of everyday language and the practical consequences for people
Which type of analysis looks at the minute details of conversation (including when a breath is taken, pauses in conversation, sequential turn ordering of conversation)
conversation analysis
History of DP
Who was it who argued that the historical emergence of disciplines and knowledge which develop into powerful ‘discourses that regulate our behaviour and experience?
Also, that ‘discourses’ shape our everyday understandings of the world and our subjectivities - the very people we ultimately become?
Michel Foucault
What did Foucault believe about the truth of ‘disorders’?
What is deemed as a ‘disorder’ is a social construct that has been given legitimacy by those in power and the knowledge institutions and is not necessarily ‘true’.
What are the 4 core principles of discourse psychology (DP)?
- Discourse is constitutive
- Discourse is functional
- Discourse is put together with discursive resources and practices
- Discourse constructs identities for speakers
Explain the DP principle that ‘discourse is constitutive’.
2) How does this contrast to traditional psychology?
Objects, events, people etc are constructed as they are talked about in interaction.
2) Traditional psychology treats objects in the world as ‘reality’ and is seen as an unproblematic given.
reality -> perception -> discourse
What type of psychological theory sees discourse this way?
Perceptual cognitivism
(cognitive psychology)
discourse -> perception -> reality
What psychological theory sees discourse this way?
Discursive Psychology
Explain the DP principle that discourse is functional.
Talk is a social practice that accomplishes social actions in the world
(focus is on the discourse itself; how it is organized and what it is doing)
The third core principle in DP of discourse is put together with discursive resources and practices.
What are the three discursive resources and practices?
1. Interpretative repertoires - (recurrently used set of metaphors, arguments and terms to describe actions and events)
2. Discursive strategies and devices - (which are used in talk to build accounts as factual, objective and disinterested
3. Rhetorical commonplaces - (clinching arguments premised on commonsense notions and idioms)
Explain the core principle in DP of discourse constructs identities for speakers.
We create our identities through discourse. We have many identities that shift depending on the context.
People are positioned (in terms of power) by particular ways of talking, but people also make active choices about the identities they mobilise in particular settings.
What does ‘fact construction’ refer to in DP?
How we represent reality
What does ‘out-there-ness’ refer to in DP?
Refers to the description or account of how we put together descriptions in order to appear factual or objective
(i.e. reflecting reality rather than subjective)
What are the 6 parts of Hepburn’s (2003) reality production ‘toolkit’
(discursive technique strategies to construct ‘factuality’)
- Category entitlement
- Stake inoculation
- Corroboration and consensus
- Active voicing
- Vivid description
- Systematic vagueness
Explain ‘category entitlement’ in the ‘reality production toolkit’.
To warrant the validity of a particular claim, speakers can emphasise their membership (or that of others) to a particular category which entitles them to speak authoritatively about certain things.
(e.g. Professor Brown, who has been a doctor for 15 years says that X)
Explain ‘stake inoculation’ in the ‘reality production toolkit’.
Speakers can construct their talk as coming from someone whose stake in that talk is counter to what you would expect.
- (e.g. as a feminist, i used to be skeptical about differences between girls and boys, but my experience as a mother has taught me otherwise)*
- (indicates that because you don’t have a stake in it, you’re not biased)*
Explain ‘corroboration and consensus’ in the ‘reality production toolkit’.
Construct your description or account as corroborated by an independent witness, and/or something that everyone agrees on
(e.g. ‘his behaviour intimidated everyone who was there’ or ‘everyone knows that men and women are different’)
Explain ‘active voicing’ in the ‘reality production toolkit’.
Use reported speech to present views and impressions as a reliable and accurate record of what took place
(e. g. Mary then said to me “why have you been avoiding me?” and then I said, “I haven’t i’ve just been real busy”)
* increases believability of claim because it makes it seem like it has been something that has already been said*
Explain ‘vivid description’ in the ‘reality production toolkit’.
Rich and vivid detail, careful observation and noticing can enhance the reliability of an account or event.
(e.g. ““That morning was especially wet
and windy, and the traffic lights were
working intermittently. When I passed
by my neighbour’s house, I noticed that
his newspaper was still on the front lawn”.)
More description is supposed to demonstrates that it is true (builds the idea that it happened and it shows that he remembers)
Explain ‘systematic vagueness’ in the ‘reality production toolkit’.
Descriptions or accounts which are systematically vague about details and particular features draw attention away from one’s own stake or interest in the account.
- (e.g. “there are many causes for poverty and economic hardship, but at the end of the day, the poor need to help themselves)*
- “bottom-line argument”* sweeping over it - meant to be self evidently true
What are ‘extreme case formulations’ (ECFs)?
Maximising claims to convey truthfulness
(e.g. ‘everyone believes this’, ‘no one believed him’)
1) How does ‘use of lists’ convey truthfulness?
2) How many parts do you need in a list to be seen as truthful?
1) Demonstrate the comprehensiveness of claims
2) 3 part lists are commonly used to convey truthfulness.
How do ‘contrast structures’ convey truthfulness in conversation?
Compares two concepts are contrasted against one another to prove a statement.
