Qualitative Research Methods Lecture Notes

The lecture will cover definitions, application in psychology, and qualitative research questions.
By the end of the session (and next week), students will be able to construct their own qualitative research questions..

This example leads to questions about the nature of knowledge and reality.
Epistemology: Theories of knowledge.
Positivism/Empiricism: The assumption that the truth is out there and can be discovered through scientific methods (experiments, questionnaires).
- Example: Bystander effect (independent variable: number of bystanders; dependent variable: helping behavior).
- Assumes a real world that can be understood through empirical methods and unbiased researcher interpretations.
Post-positivism: Recognizes biases and interpretations can create false truths. Replicating experiments in different contexts increases confidence in findings.

Quantitative methods are widely used in natural sciences, but human beings are more complex to observe due to unobservable thoughts and feelings.
Experiences are attached to meaning, memory, and attention.
Context is important.
Measuring state or trait anxiety provides limited information without context.
Ecological validity: How closely an experiment reflects real-life situations.
Quantitative methods often assume universal behaviors across the population, categorizing people based on demographics.
People may react differently to the same questions, and interpretations may vary.
Qualitative research aims to address these limitations by exploring human experience without reducing it to numeric values and considering the context.

In contrast to positivism, social constructivism suggests that social reality is constructed within a specific social or historical context.
Emotions and perceptions of emotions differ across cultures.
Example: Interpreting emotions in individual faces vs. group events (Beth Mead scoring in the World Cup, Jessica Ennis winning in the Olympics).
Isolating features can lead to a loss of context; context is crucial in qualitative methods.

Qualitative research aims to see the world through the eyes of those being studied.
It uses a bottom-up approach, starting with general research questions rather than pre-existing theories.
Utilizes natural contexts like focus groups, interviews, diaries, and observational methods.

Quantitative:
- Hypothesis-driven
- Standardized, structured measures
- Cause and effect
- Large datasets
- Specific hypotheses
Qualitative:
- Exploration of a topic
- Inductive (no a priori hypothesis)
- Naturalistic methods
- Experiential
- Focus on perceptions rather than reality
- Lengthy data collection
- Rich, detailed knowledge, but limited generalizability

Qualitative methods are valuable for understanding human experience and perceptions.
They can follow up on quantitative methods.
Increasing use in clinical, developmental, and health psychology.
Clinical psychology uses it for coping strategies and illness management.
Health psychology uses it for experiences of ill health and public health interventions.
Developmental psychology uses it to interview children, parents, and teachers to better understand a child's development. Qualitative methods have grown in dissertations.

Small q: open-ended questions in surveys (Microsoft Forms example).
Big Q: pure qualitative methods, stepping away from surface questionnaires.
Example: Separating 2017 study with visually impaired children in sports. Qualitative interviews revealed overall satisfaction with physical self-esteem, contrasting with quantitative data suggesting low self-esteem.
Small Q Example: Frith and Gleason's study on body image fluctuations. Longitudinal qualitative surveys captured the day-to-day variations in women's body satisfaction, which were not captured in quantitative questionnaires.

Qualitative approaches are embedded in particular epistemologies or philosophies.
- Phenomenology: Experience of a particular phenomenon.
- Chocolate example: Taste, memories, associations.
- Social Constructivism: Knowledge and reality are socially constructed.

Focuses on individual experiences and perceptions.
Chocolate example: Individual experience of eating chocolate, awareness, and meaning.
Used in clinical and health psychology to understand theories and concepts from an individual's perspective.

Examines how social reality is constructed.
Chocolate example: Social associations (gifts, love), branding, social media portrayals (healthy vs. unhealthy).
Cultural and social norms influence perceptions.

Stages similar to quantitative research (literature review, rationale, research questions, ethical approval).
Includes data collection methods, transcription, coding, and reflexivity.

Literature review, rationale, research questions, ethical approval
Data collection: Interviews, diaries, ethnography
Transcription of textual data (audio/video recordings)
Coding (breaking down data into chunks)
Reflexivity: Reflecting on biases and their potential impact on the research process

Example: Impact of nature contact on well-being.
Quantitative research highlights physical health benefits, stress reduction, social cohesion, cognitive functioning, etc.
Qualitative methods can capture individual relationships with nature.
Example: Project studying new mothers' interactions with nature and its impact on their well-being. Qualitative methods reveals information difficult to capture quantitatively.

Experiences: How do service users with bipolar experience recovery?
Accounts of Practice: How do people cope with disruption?
Understandings/Perceptions: How do people perceive unnatural sensory experiences?
Influencing Factors: What impacts purchasing choices?