Chapter 10
Qualitative Methods in Health
and Human Performance
Qualitative Methods
Qualitative research is an umbrella concept
covering several forms of inquiry that focus
on understanding and explain meaning of a
social phenomena
Data Collection Methods
Quantitative
–
–
–
–
–
Objective
Numeric
Statistical analysis
Large Ns
Structured data
collection
– Table/graphs to display
results
Qualitative
–
–
–
–
–
Subjective
Nonnumerical
Nonstatistical analysis
Small Ns
Open ended data
collection
– Narrative for results
Qualitative Methods
Eight characteristics of qualitative research
– Takes place in the natural setting: travel to sites
– Researcher is the primary method of data
collection
» Observation
» Interview
» Documents
» Audiovisual
Qualitative Methods
Characteristic continued:
– Emergent rather than tightly prefigured
– Based upon interpretation
» Hermeneutics: deciphering meaning
– Views social phenomena holistically
– Qualitative researchers reflect and are explicitly
regarding personal assumptions and values
Qualitative Methods
Characteristics continued
– Uses both deductive and inductive logic
» Inductive: going from specific to large
» Deductive: Going from broad to specific
– Can use multiple methods
Qualitative Methods
Grounded Theory Study
– Discover or invent theory grounded in real
world experiences
» Middlerange theories: situation related
Life histories
– Story of a single individual or groups of single
individuals
» Recall significant events of ones life
» Significant understanding of the historical context
Qualitative Methods
Case Study
– Exploration of a bounded system (e.g., school)
– Indepth data collection involving multiple
sources of information
Phenomenology study
– Describes the meaning of a lived experience for
several individuals about a phenomenon
– Explores the structures of human consciousness
Qualitative methods
Ethnography study
– Interpretation of a culture of social group
– Natural setting
Basic/Generic
– Studies that illustrate characteristics of
qualitative research
Accurate Interpretations?
Verification: Interpretations are tested for
plausibility, conformability and
trustworthiness (7 strategies)
– Prolonged engagement: Learning culture and
building trust by being in a culture for a long
time
– Triangulation: use different methods for
corroborating evidence
Accurate Interpretations?
Verification continued
–
–
–
Peer review: group of peers review work
Clarification of research biases and values
Member checks: research participants check
credibility of interpretations and data
– Rich description statements: Provide evidence
by detail in write up – are findings transferable?
– External audit: External person(s) examine
process and interpretations
Multiple Methods
“Rather than taking sides on this recurring
issue, we suggest that multimethods
approaches can provide a more accurate and
detailed research project than the traditional
unidimensional (qualitative or quantitative)
approaches provide”
Mitra & Lankford, 1999, p. 46
Interviews
Closed quantitative: Questions and response categories are
determined in advance; responses are fixed
Standardized openended: The wording and sequence of
questions are determined in advance; same basic questions
in the same order
Interview guide: Topics and issues to be covered are
specified in advance, however, the interviewer decides the
sequence and wording of questions during the interview
Informal conversational: Questions emerge from the
immediate context and are asked in the natural course
Observations
Complete Participation: Researcher
conceals role
Observer as Participant: Role of researcher
is known
Participant as Observer: Observational role
is secondary to participant role
Complete Observer: Researcher observes
without participating
Constant Comparison
A technique for analyzing qualitative data
– Read through data (transcriptions of interviews)
and find similar (constant) themes among
people
Gain perspectives relevant to the context in
which the data was observed and recorded
Steps in a Constant Comparison
Read through interviews separately (among many)
and make code/theme notes
After reading through the differing transcriptions,
integrate and compare codes/themes
Delimit and refine the themes to find major or
primary themes (can have secondary themes)
Provide examples from the data that highlight the
themes