Reflections On Certain Qualitative And Phenomenological Psychological Methods

One could describe the status of psychological research today as one in which qualitative methods based upon diverse philosophies have been developing and advancing at a fast pace. It is a time therefore when reflections on this state of affairs are appropriate. The five essays in this book are all concerned with qualitative methods and their philosophical backgrounds. Briefly, the first essay contrasts the relative merits of the three most used philosophical bases for qualitative methods: empirical philosophy, hermeneutics, and Husserlian descriptive phenomenology. The second essay tries to resolve the tensions between descriptive and interpretive methods. Both are of service to science, but they relate to different conditions. The third essay discusses certain pitfalls that should be avoided when conducting psychological research on oneself. The fourth essay describes the extension of certain guidelines when using the descriptive phenomenological method. The fifth essay challenges the assumption of naturalism for psychology and argues for the development of a non-naturalistic method for psychology.

This book clarifies the phenomenological approach to psychological research along with examples of application in four different content areas: learning and thinking (both being examples of alternative approaches to cognitive processes), self-deception (clinical psychology), and criminal victimization (social psychology).

Psychology as a Human Science: A Phenomenologically Based Approach is a classic text in the field of psychology that is as relevant today as it was when it was first published in 1970. Giorgi's text helped establish the philosophical foundation humanistic psychology and the human science approach. He provides an important critique of traditional methods in psychology while providing his alternative. This new version includes a new introduction by Giorgi along with a new Foreword by Rodger Broomé.

A journal of self-discovery, Finding the Phoenix, by author Dr. Karel James Bouse introduces seven tools for transformative self-discovery, including how to deconstruct one’s lenses, consciousness and identity; use expressive arts to access hidden elements of the self; connect with nature from a mystical perspective; find the meaning of your dreams; use Neo-shamanic techniques for interdimensional self-exploration, demystify anomalous experiences and phenomena; and construct a personal mythology to discover your life purpose. Used synergistically, these tools facilitate a deep, personal investigation that bridges and integrates the conscious with the unconscious, and the mythic with the mundane. Bouse provides you with background information based in academic, scientific, and professional psychological research, and detailed exercises as you follow the fictional “Lucy” through a series of workshops designed to help you find the phoenix of your authentic self. Finding the Phoenix offers a combination of thoughtful instructions, rich personal narrative from the perspective of Lucy, and experiential exercises designed to evoke insight, creativity, and personal development.

Existential-Psychology East-West (Volume 2) emerged from continued dialogues on existential psychology, particularly existential-humanistic psychology, in Southeast Asia. This volume includes authors from Southeast Asia, India, Africa, Europe, and the United States, including Xuefu Wang, Louise Sundararajan, Mark Yang, Louis Hoffman, Al Dueck, Albert Chan, Donna Rockwell, Ilene Serlin, Rainbow Tin Hung Ho, Rochelle Suri, Meili Pinto, and Anthony K. Nkyi. The book is divided into three sections: 1) Theory and Practice, 2) Applications and Case Illustrations, and 3) Existential Perspectives on Cultural Myths. The first three chapter focus on Zhi Mian Therapy, an indigenous Chinese approach to existential psychology. These chapters are the most comprehensive overview of Zhi Mian Therapy in English to date. Other theory chapters include a discussion of international psychology from an existential-humanistic perspective, the concept of Sui Wu Fu Xing, men’s violence against women, Sunyata, and the concept of savoring. The second section focuses on a variety of case illustrations to illuminate the practice of existential therapy in different cultural contexts. The final section expands upon existential perspectives of myths as developed in Rollo May’s The Cry for Myth and Existential Psychology East-West (Volume 1). Seven myths from different cultural contexts are examined from an existential perspective. Along with Volume 2, Existential-Psychology East-West (Volume 2) represents a landmark contribution to the existential psychology literature.

This book advances an integrative approach to understanding the phenomenon of psychosocial maturation. Through a rigorous, dialectically-informed interpretation of psychoanalytic and humanistic-existential-phenomenological sources, Mufid James Hannush distils thirty essential markers of maturity. The dialectical approach is described as a process whereby lived, affect-and-value laden polar meanings are transformed, through deep insight, into complementary and integrative meta-meanings. The author demonstrates how responding to the call of maturation can be viewed as a life project that serves the ultimate purpose of living a balanced life. The book will appeal to students and scholars of human development, psychotherapy, social work, philosophy, and existential, humanistic, and phenomenological psychology.

Qualitative Research Methods for Psychologists is a collection of 14 original articles that teaches readers how to conduct qualitative research. Instead of characterizing and justifying certain methods, the contributors show by means of actual research studies what assumptions, procedures, and dilemmas they encountered. Fischer's introduction, which emphasizes the practical nature of qualitative research and the closing chapter, which uses a question-and-answer format to investigate, among other subjects, what is scientific about qualitative research, are complemented by a glossary and other features that increase the book's utility and value. Addresses a range of practical examples from different traditions such as phenomology, grounded theory, ethnography and discourse analysis through actual case studies Discusses various methodology and combinations of methods like assimilation analysis, dialogal approach, intuitive inquiry, and conceptual encounter Terms are defined within chapters and/or in a glossary Helps readers bridge from experimental to qualitative methods Provides in-depth, philosophically grounded, and compelling research findings Includes practical introduction about steps in qualitative research