Total Credits: 1 Advance Credits
Couldn’t travel to Lisbon for the Worldwide Conference? We’re bringing a taste of Lisbon to you!
In this Qcast, we’ll explore two topics from the Lisbon conference:
Attendees will come away with a greater understanding of the participant psyche and the impact that different research methodologies and approaches can have.
Lockdown saw qualitative research pivot from face-to-face approaches to wholly online methodologies. Fast forward to 2023, and online is an integrated part of our research toolkit. But do we really understand how virtual and in-person environments influence response and highlight different aspects of participant identity?
In this session Lucy will share theoretical and real-world examples to enhance our understanding of the participant psyche and the impact methodology can have.
Our approach to qualitative interviewing is heavily influenced by person-centered psychotherapy (warm, empathetic, collaborative), which evolved from the psychoanalytic approach developed by Freud.
While the person-centered approach is still useful for building trust and rapport with participants, it risks creating a cozy environment where the participant tells us what they think we want to hear and offers only limited access to their subconscious minds.
Darren will explore the idea that we have much to learn by looking back to the “blank slate” approach of psychoanalysis: by positioning ourselves as a curious, playful, deeply interested but distanced Other, we offer participants the space to discover and share their own unconscious thoughts in a deeply authentic and honest way.
He will discuss how researchers can make use of key psychoanalytic principles such as unconscious defenses, how the past (and memory) informs the present, and even how the relationship between the researcher, the participants and the topic can be explored during interviews to provide greater insight into the topic being discussed.
He will also explore the ethical implications of “digging deep” in a single session and the limits of the psychoanalytic approach in our work, and share case studies from recent market research projects in a variety of sectors and methodologies, and with a diverse base of participants.
| A Hybrid Future: Exploring Human Interactions On- and Off-line (3.16 MB) | Available after Purchase | ||
| Qual on the Couch – Practical Learnings from Psychoanalysis (0.66 MB) | Available after Purchase | ||
Lucy is an Account Director at The Nursery where she focuses on strategic and brand research as well as audience insight and behavioural studies. Previously a member of the AQR board, she is a qualitative specialist and works across a range of sectors including FMCG, finance, government and non-profit.
Darren has worked as a qualitative researcher in the UK since 1999, and is currently owner of Lotus Research Ltd. He works across a variety of sectors and methodologies with a leaning towards not-for-profits and social issues.
His paper is informed by three years of training in psychoanalytic theory and practice which he has recently completed. He is now qualified as a psychodynamic counsellor and has an ongoing role as Staff Counsellor at Highgate Counselling Centre in London.
He is currently pursuing parallel careers and has adjusted his research practice to include psychoanalytic techniques: this is offering deeper and more meaningful insights into his work in both the not-for-profit and commercial sectors (and participants have commented how much they feel heard!)
In his spare time, he enjoys cycling, music, movies and designing and making stained glass windows.
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