How to Do Ethnographic Research in Psychology
Conducting ethnographic research in psychology requires a lot of planning and organization. Ethnography is a qualitative research method where the researcher studies by going into the field, and derives information directly from subjects' stories. The method enables the study of human behavior, situation, and action in the natural environment. The ethnographic method is highly suitable for psychology and its applied disciplines. The method allows the study, understanding, and comprehension of the reasons, processes, and products of the human psyche without obvious intrusion and experimentation.
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Things You'll Need
- Pen and paper
- Watch and stopwatch
- List of interview questions
- Small tape recorder
- Markers and highlighters
Instructions
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Fieldwork
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Contact someone who will allow you entry into the organization you plan to do research on, and choose the number of employees you want to observe and interview. For instance, if conducting research on marital behavior in counseling psychology, you would contact a counselor or others involved in the field to gain access, and ask to observe the counseling sessions of three counselors on specific days at certain times.
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Set up a time to observe the subjects. For instance, at the counseling center, you would talk with the counselor and establish time frames and the focus of your observation. You should always cater to the time frames and schedules of your subject.
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Observe what is happening in the session and make notes. Be as silent and unobtrusive as possible. Making your presence known will fluster your subject(s) and produce unnatural behavior and action. At this point, you have to decide whether you want to be a participant observer and engage in the center's activities. Perhaps you can be a volunteer and help the counselor in setting up the room for session. Participant observation helps you to make detailed natural observations.
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Code your field notes after the observation. This means reading your notes and discerning repetitive behavior and action that can be grouped into themes. For instance, drinking coffee during the reception and writing one's name in the front desk register can be grouped together to indicate 'Before-session behavior.' Analyze whether your codes reflect your research question. If not ,you may have to go back and conduct observations again.
The Interview Process
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Go back to the center and begin interviewing the counselors at scheduled times. Do not stick rigidly to your question format. Let the interview flow. This means letting your interviewee talk. It also includes giving prompts if the interviewee refuses to talk, but not controlling what the interviewee says. Your questions can be either closed or open-ended. In closed-interview questions, the questions can have only one answer. In open interviews, you can employ the storytelling technique of interviewing, where you ask the respondent one general question, and let him or her tell anecdotes and provide rich detail.
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Make notes of your interview or tape-record the interview. Tell the interviewee that you are recording the conversation, and keep the tape recorder in a visible place. This allows the interviewee to see the device and reassures him or her of your professionalism.
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Begin coding your interview responses, and develop themes. Manually or electronically transcribe your interviews and begin your data analysis. You should be able to develop themes after reading your transcripts. These themes can be used to develop a grounded theory or yo frame your research data into an existent theme. Your data analysis should either validate your research statements or refute it.
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Tips & Warnings
Do not be rude and abrupt if your interview takes longer than anticipated.
Do not stare at your subject during observation, which will make him or her uncomfortable.
