ABSTRACT

In a famous quotation, Urie Bronfenbrenner, the noted child psychologist, stated that the overemphasis on laboratory studies in developmental psychology has unfortunately led to ‘the science of strange behavior of children in strange situations with strange adults for the briefest possible periods of time’ (1979:19). In this statement Bronfenbrenner points to the importance of the alternate paradigm and qualitative research methodology in coming to an understanding of human experience. In order to understand any human phenomenon we must investigate it as part of the context within which it lies (see Table 2.1). The postulates that define the alternate paradigm lead quite directly to the methods available to the qualitative researcher to use in real or natural settings. In this and succeeding chapters we will direct our attention to three major qualitative data collection methods: participant observation, in-depth interviews, and group interviews. We will also briefly discuss documents and other sources of qualitative data. Each method attempts to capture people’s words and actions, the data of qualitative research. But whatever methods of data collection are chosen, the researcher will benefit by maintaining a researcher’s journal.