ABSTRACT
Operationalising psychoanalytic research is challenging as the researcher is concerned with collecting data relating to hidden unconscious processes. In this chapter the author will discuss how non-participant observation, opportunistic conversations and interviews were conducted from a psychoanalytic perspective. The techniques of free floating attention, quiet presence and detachment will be discussed in relation to data collection. The discussion will draw readers’ attention to the importance of selecting what to observe without interfering with the work of the organisation. The application of psychoanalytic theory to a dataset during analysis will be examined in a study on mental health services. This will allow another researcher to take the method under scrutiny as a possible template to explore other social institutions. The reader will gain an understanding of the value and challenges in the application of psychoanalytic theory and practices as tools that expand and extend conventional approaches to research concerned with social practices.
