Field Methods

Ethics Approval - Required consent before conducting psychological research.

Participant Confidentiality - Ensuring participants' identities remain private during research.

Qualitative Methods - Focus on descriptive, interpretive data over hypothesis testing.

Quantitative Tradition - Emphasizes measurable outcomes and statistical analysis.

Positivism - Philosophy promoting empirical, observable data in research.

Behaviorism - Focus on observable behaviors, ignoring internal thoughts.

Cognitive Psychology - Studies internal processes and cognition post-behaviorism.

Social Constructionism - Reality shaped through social interactions and discourse.

Realism vs. Relativism - Qualitative embraces multiple realities; quantitative assumes one.

Agency vs. Determinism - Qualitative sees individuals as active agents in behavior.

Introspectionism - Early self-observation method, later replaced by behaviorism.

Phenomenology - Examines experiences as they appear, avoiding biases.

Non-generalizability - Findings not meant for broader population application.

Mixed Methods - Combines qualitative and quantitative approaches in research.

Statistical Methods - Integral for hypothesis testing in mid-20th century psychology.

In-Depth Interviews - Explores personal perspectives on sensitive topics.

Focus Groups - Small group discussions to gather cultural perspectives.

Participant Observation - Observing behavior in natural settings for insights.

Purposive Sampling - Selecting participants based on specific criteria.

Quota Sampling - Predetermined quotas for participant characteristics.

Snowball Sampling - Participants refer others for recruitment.

Ethical Guidelines - Ensure participant privacy and avoid coercion.

Field Notes - Detailed records of observations and reflections.

Transcription Time - Approx. 8 hours to transcribe a 45-minute interview.

Critical Stance - Challenges knowledge, considering historical and cultural influences.

Informed Consent - Participants understand study's purpose and risks.

Beneficence - Minimizing harm while maximizing benefits in research.

Justice - Fair distribution of risks and benefits in research.

Thick Descriptions - Rich, detailed accounts shaped by cultural factors.

Phenomenological Philosophy - Study of consciousness and human experience.

Data Security - Ensuring confidentiality of field notes and files.

Intentionality - Consciousness is always directed toward an object.

Phenomenological Reduction - Suspension of natural attitudes for deeper understanding.

Epoché - Bracketing preconceptions to achieve clarity.

Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) - Combines description with interpretation in research.

Critical Narrative Analysis (CNA) - Links phenomenology with critical perspectives.

Horizontalization - Treats all phenomena equally in analysis.

Eidetic Variation - Imagining variations to enhance understanding.

Hermeneutic Situation - Prejudices shape openness to understanding.

Dasein - Being-there; understanding existence through experience.

Fusion of Horizons - Merging perspectives for deeper understanding.

Thrownness - Existence situated within a pre-existing world.

Temporality - Dasein unfolds across past, present, and future.

Language and Dialogue - Language is essential for interpretation and understanding.

Bracketing - Process of setting aside biases in research.

Reflexivity - Awareness of one's influence on interpretation.

Philosophical Hermeneutics - All sciences are historical and interpretive.

Forestructures - Pre-existing concepts that shape interpretation.

Critique of Husserl - Rejected universal methods; emphasized reflective philosophy.

Developmental Psychology - Studies storytelling origins and life-story formation.

Personality Psychology - Links life stories to personality and well-being.

Epistemological Focus - Understanding knowledge through lived experiences.

Controversies in Phenomenology - Debate on description versus interpretation focus.

Influence of History - Traditions shape our interpretive horizons.

Existential Turn - Focus on understanding existence through interpretation.

Heidegger's Contributions - Shifted phenomenology toward dynamic interpretive approaches.

Recollection of Meanings - Retrieving hidden meanings in narratives.

Social and Cultural Psychology - Examines narratives within specific social contexts.

School of Suspicion - Critical approach revealing consciousness illusions.

Clinical Psychology - Studies psychotherapy transformations through life stories.

Discourse - Spoken language conveying meaning through sentences.

Language - System of signs existing outside of time.

Context of Discovery - Inductive exploration of themes and individual stories.

Context of Justification - Testing hypotheses from narrative research quantitatively.

Text as a Medium - Human actions interpreted as texts for meaning.

Objective of Life Narratives - Understanding academic narratives of personal lives.

Concept of Play - Indirect approaches to understanding through creativity.

Coding Themes - Quantitative assessment of narrative themes.

Generativity in Midlife Adults - Role of narratives in understanding temporal existence.

Redemption Sequences - Transformations from negative to positive experiences.

Political Ideology - Influences personal narratives and self-perception.

Ethnographic Methodology - Studies cultural contexts through immersive experiences.

Active Observation - Recording sensory perceptions for authentic insights.

Challenges in Ethnography - Balancing insider perspective with analytical distance.

Cultural Engagement - Building trust to gather genuine data.

Empiricism - Knowledge gained through direct, immersive experiences.

Social Constructivism - Truth is culturally constructed and subjective.

Humanistic Approach - Understanding reality from the participant's perspective.

Volkerpsychologie - Links culture with introspective psychological methods.

Interpretive Nature - Ethnographic findings highlight subjective perspectives.

Researcher's Role - Self-reflection monitors personal bias in research.

Interactionism - Promotes equal standing between researcher and participants.

Life History - Focus on participants' experiences shaping their lives.

Memoir - Documents researcher's reflections within a community.

Addressing Quantitative Limitations - Ethnography reveals complex cultural meanings.

Narrative Ethnography - Participants share experiences with cultural insights.

Pilot Studies - Initial research phase to test methodologies.

Auto-Ethnography - Researcher reflects on personal cultural experiences.

Community Contexts - Cultural influences on group behaviors and norms.

Applied Ethnography - Focuses on social change and community interventions.

Organizational Research - Studies workplace culture and dynamics.

Ethnographic Decision Model - Analyzes community decision-making processes.

Researcher Representation - Influence of researcher's perspective on findings.

Institutional Ethnography - Examines daily life within institutional frameworks.

Subjectivity vs. Theory - Challenges traditional psychology with cultural insights.

Researcher Objectivity - Ethnography contrasts with psychology's objective reporting.

Time Demands - Ethnography requires long-term immersion in cultures.

Participatory Research (PR) - Collaborative research involving affected community members.

Continuous Reflection - Ongoing evaluation of research relevance and impact.

Direct Engagement - Facilitating participant reflection through guided questions.