REFLEXIVE INTERPRETIVE ANALYSIS

Reflexive Interpretive Analysis

Reflexive Interpretive Analysis

Being reflexive:

1) Who are you and how might this sway the investigation? (E.g. age, gender, nationality, etc.)

I am a British student currently enrolled in a psychology course. This assignment on discourse analysis is very interesting. Discourse investigation (DA) is the study of how meanings are made, and of which meanings prevail in society. DA's view of meaning is different from that of other approaches to the analysis of language and culture. It does not regard meanings as propositions that people carry around in their heads. DA treats meanings as complex phenomena: They emerge from the interplay between individuals' cognitions; actions and intentions; and historical, social, and institutional resources and constraints.

2) What are your thoughts on qualitative research?(Have you accomplished it before?)

For me, qualitative research is exciting and vital for producing new information. It is a highly satisfying endeavor in that it connects us with individuals, activities, and situations that are of importance to research. It allows for the careful exploration of dimensions in the social world that can give the research a depth of information not always obtainable through traditional quantitative research. Qualitative research shows us pictures of everyday life including the understandings, ideas, and experiences of the participants that are rich in significance and provide in-depth understanding.

3) What are your assumptions of the theme area?(Do you like music?Do you play music?Do you reside for music?)

In my personal opinion, music is the best way to communicate one's feelings. It provides relaxation and calm of mind. For me, music reflects my personal heritage, it reminds me of who am I and how I came to be, and reinforces my identity.

Analysing an excerpt using IPA

As discussed, Jenny is a single, female 'music lover' who was interviewed using IPA, on her experience of finding meaning from music. In order to analyse this script, please:

1) Read the excerpt at smallest twice.

2) After you have accomplished this, great pleasure start exploratory coding by conceiving in the right-hand margin:

the use of words, phrases and terms at face value

Any non-verbal account of the experience (pauses, laughter, hesitation, etc.)

Finally go beyond the descriptive- start the interpretive engagement with the text, person and overall process; start asking questions regarding the underlying meaning behind phrases and accounts of experiences.

3) Start Emergent cipher by amassing emergent topics in left hand margin. These are themes that capture the essence of the phenomenon.

4) conceive your emergent topics here:

Relaxation

Dancing

Listening

Emotions

Happiness

Jumping

Fun

Laughing

Fondness

5) Start to accept as factual where these emergent topics fit in relative to the occurrence of interest. Can you cluster your emergent themes into higher order themes?If so, please compose below.

****For the portfolio you will need to provide the written-on excerpt transcript and this sheet with your reflexivity on it.

Understanding the Experience of Music in daily life

Emergent themes

Transcript (Jenny)

Exploratory Coding

Relaxation

Dancing

Listening

Emotions

Happiness

Jumping

Fun

Laughing

Fondness

I: So what role does music play in your life?

J: Em, always a form of relaxation…em…obviously music to dance to and em music to listen to, like radio Luxembourg, when I was growing ...