Sample records for hermeneutic phenomenological research

  1. Hermeneutic phenomenological analysis: the 'possibility' beyond 'actuality' in thematic analysis.

    PubMed

    Ho, Ken H M; Chiang, Vico C L; Leung, Doris

    2017-07-01

    This article discusses the ways researchers may become open to manifold interpretations of lived experience through thematic analysis that follows the tradition of hermeneutic phenomenology. Martin Heidegger's thinking about historical contexts of understandings and the notions of 'alētheia' and 'techne' disclose what he called meaning of lived experience, as the 'unchanging Being of changing beings'. While these notions remain central to hermeneutic phenomenological research, novice phenomenologists usually face the problem of how to incorporate these philosophical tenets into thematic analysis. Discussion paper. This discussion paper is based on our experiences of hermeneutic analysis supported by the writings of Heidegger. Literature reviewed for this paper ranges from 1927 - 2014. We draw on data from a study of foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong to demonstrate how 'dwelling' in the language of participants' 'ek-sistence' supported us in a process of thematic analysis. Data were collected from December 2013 - February 2016. Nurses doing hermeneutic phenomenology have to develop self-awareness of one's own 'taken-for-granted' thinking to disclose the unspoken meanings hidden in the language of participants. Understanding the philosophical tenets of hermeneutic phenomenology allows nurses to preserve possibilities of interpretations in thinking. In so doing, methods of thematic analysis can uncover and present the structure of the meaning of lived experience. We provide our readers with vicarious experience of how to begin cultivating thinking that is aligned with hermeneutic phenomenological philosophical tenets to conduct thematic analysis. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Thinking about the nature of research findings: a hermeneutic phenomenological perspective.

    PubMed

    Greatrex-White, Sheila

    2008-12-01

    Written in response to an ongoing process of reflexivity, I deconstruct the findings of a recently completed qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological research study which was designed to answer the question: "How is study abroad manifest in the experience of nursing students?" The purpose is to assist and urge other researchers to locate their research, themselves and their research participants more transparently in the social and cultural worlds within which they move and are a part. Following a sketch of the research study upon which the paper is based, the relationships between structure, agency, researched and researcher are explored within a hermeneutic phenomenological framework. In particular, I relate some of the challenges encountered through reflections on specific aspects of the research process. I conclude that research findings might best be understood as being a dynamic and complex, two-way constructed interpretation of phenomena involving both structure and agency. I proceed from the stance that the discursive and the emotional, the artistic and the scientific, need to be balanced partners. Where this relationship is harmonious, intellectual ability increases leading to better meaning making, better decisions and greater understanding.

  3. van Manen's method and reduction in a phenomenological hermeneutic study.

    PubMed

    Heinonen, Kristiina

    2015-03-01

    To describe van Manen's method and concept of reduction in a study that used a phenomenological hermeneutic approach. Nurse researchers have used van Manen's method in different ways. Participants' lifeworlds are described in depth, but descriptions of reduction have been brief. The literature and knowledge review and manual search of research articles. Databases Web Science, PubMed, CINAHL and PsycINFO, without applying a time period, to identify uses of van Manen's method. This paper shows how van Manen's method has been used in nursing research and gives some examples of van Manen's reduction. Reduction enables us to conduct in-depth phenomenological hermeneutic research and understand people's lifeworlds. As there are many variations in adapting reduction, it is complex and confusing. This paper contributes to the discussion of phenomenology, hermeneutic study and reduction. It opens up reduction as a method for researchers to exploit.

  4. Levels of reduction in van Manen's phenomenological hermeneutic method: an empirical example.

    PubMed

    Heinonen, Kristiina

    2015-05-01

    To describe reduction as a method using van Manen's phenomenological hermeneutic research approach. Reduction involves several levels that can be distinguished for their methodological usefulness. Researchers can use reduction in different ways and dimensions for their methodological needs. A study of Finnish multiple-birth families in which open interviews (n=38) were conducted with public health nurses, family care workers and parents of twins. A systematic literature and knowledge review showed there were no articles on multiple-birth families that used van Manen's method. Discussion The phenomena of the 'lifeworlds' of multiple-birth families consist of three core essential themes as told by parents: 'a state of constant vigilance', 'ensuring that they can continue to cope' and 'opportunities to share with other people'. Reduction provides the opportunity to carry out in-depth phenomenological hermeneutic research and understand people's lives. It helps to keep research stages separate but also enables a consolidated view. Social care and healthcare professionals have to hear parents' voices better to comprehensively understand their situation; they need further tools and training to be able to empower parents of twins. This paper adds an empirical example to the discussion of phenomenology, hermeneutic study and reduction as a method. It opens up reduction for researchers to exploit.

  5. Using hermeneutic phenomenology and the ethnographic principle of cultural interpretation with Malaysian nurses.

    PubMed

    Arunasalam, Nirmala

    2018-06-07

    The interpretive paradigm and hermeneutic phenomenological design are the most popular methods used in international cross-cultural research in healthcare, nurse education and nursing practice. Their inherent appeal is that they help researchers to explore experiences. The ethnographic principle of cultural interpretation can also be used to provide meaning, clarity and insight. To examine the use of hermeneutic phenomenology and the ethnographic principle of cultural interpretation in a research study conducted with Malaysian nurses on part-time, transnational, post-registration, top-up nursing degree programmes provided by one Australian and two UK universities. To enable the researcher to undertake international cross-cultural research and illuminate Malaysian nurses' views for the reader, cultural aspects need to be considered, as they will influence the information participants provide. Useful strategies that western researchers can adopt to co-create research texts with interviewees are outlined. The paradigm and research designs used in the study revealed the views and experiences of Malaysian nurses. Hermeneutic phenomenology enabled the exploration of participants' experiences, and the ethnographic principle of cultural interpretation enabled the researcher's reflexivity to provide emic and etic views for the reader. This paper adds to the discussion of the paradigms and research designs used for international, cross-cultural research in Asia. It identifies the influence participants' cultural values have on their confidence and level of disclosure with western researchers. ©2018 RCN Publishing Company Ltd. All rights reserved. Not to be copied, transmitted or recorded in any way, in whole or part, without prior permission of the publishers.

  6. Using Hermeneutic Phenomenology to Investigate How Experienced Practitioners Learn to Communicate Clinical Reasoning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ajjawi, Rola; Higgs, Joy

    2007-01-01

    This paper is primarily targeted at doctoral students and other researchers considering using hermeneutic phenomenology as a research strategy. We present interpretive paradigm research designed to investigate how experienced practitioners learn to communicate their clinical reasoning in professional practice. Twelve experienced physiotherapy…

  7. Conducting phenomenological research: Rationalizing the methods and rigour of the phenomenology of practice.

    PubMed

    Errasti-Ibarrondo, Begoña; Jordán, José Antonio; Díez-Del-Corral, Mercedes P; Arantzamendi, María

    2018-07-01

    To offer a complete outlook in a readable easy way of van Manen's hermeneutic-phenomenological method to nurses interested in undertaking phenomenological research. Phenomenology, as research methodology, involves a certain degree of complexity. It is difficult to identify a single article or author which sets out the didactic guidelines that specifically guide research of this kind. In this context, the theoretical-practical view of Max van Manen's Phenomenology of Practice may be seen as a rigorous guide and directive on which researchers may find support to undertake phenomenological research. Discussion paper. This discussion paper is based on our own experiences and supported by literature and theory. Our central sources of data have been the books and writings of Max van Manen and his website "Phenomenologyonline". The principal methods of the hermeneutic-phenomenological method are addressed and explained providing an enriching overview of phenomenology of practice. A proposal is made for the way the suggestions made by van Manen might be organized for use with the methods involved in Phenomenology of Practice: Social sciences, philosophical and philological methods. Thereby, nurse researchers interested in conducting phenomenological research may find a global outlook and support to understand and conduct this type of inquiry which draws on the art. The approach in this article may help nurse scholars and researchers reach an overall, encompassing perspective of the main methods and activities involved in doing phenomenological research. Nurses interested in doing phenomenology of practice are expected to commit with reflection and writing. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Teaching Phenomenological Research and Writing.

    PubMed

    Adams, Catherine; van Manen, Michael Anders

    2017-05-01

    In this article, we describe our approach and philosophical methodology of teaching and doing phenomenology. The human science seminar that we offer involves participants in the primary phenomenological literature as well as in a variety of carefully engaged writing exercises. Each seminar participant selects a personal phenomenological project that aims at producing a publishable research paper. We show how the qualitative methodology of hermeneutic phenomenology requires of its practitioner a sensitivity and attitudinal disposition that has to be internalized and that cannot be captured in a procedural or step-by-step program. Our experience is that seminar participants become highly motivated and committed to their phenomenological project while involved in the rather intense progression of lectures, workshop activities, readings, and discussions.

  9. Differentiating between descriptive and interpretive phenomenological research approaches.

    PubMed

    Matua, Gerald Amandu; Van Der Wal, Dirk Mostert

    2015-07-01

    To provide insight into how descriptive and interpretive phenomenological research approaches can guide nurse researchers during the generation and application of knowledge. Phenomenology is a discipline that investigates people's experiences to reveal what lies 'hidden' in them. It has become a major philosophy and research method in the humanities, human sciences and arts. Phenomenology has transitioned from descriptive phenomenology, which emphasises the 'pure' description of people's experiences, to the 'interpretation' of such experiences, as in hermeneutic phenomenology. However, nurse researchers are still challenged by the epistemological and methodological tenets of these two methods. The data came from relevant online databases and research books. A review of selected peer-reviewed research and discussion papers published between January 1990 and December 2013 was conducted using CINAHL, Science Direct, PubMed and Google Scholar databases. In addition, selected textbooks that addressed phenomenology as a philosophy and as a research methodology were used. Evidence from the literature indicates that most studies following the 'descriptive approach' to research are used to illuminate poorly understood aspects of experiences. In contrast, the 'interpretive/hermeneutic approach' is used to examine contextual features of an experience in relation to other influences such as culture, gender, employment or wellbeing of people or groups experiencing the phenomenon. This allows investigators to arrive at a deeper understanding of the experience, so that caregivers can derive requisite knowledge needed to address such clients' needs. Novice nurse researchers should endeavour to understand phenomenology both as a philosophy and research method. This is vitally important because in-depth understanding of phenomenology ensures that the most appropriate method is chosen to implement a study and to generate knowledge for nursing practice. This paper adds to the current

  10. Homeless Students' Lived Experiences in Postsecondary Institutions and Academie: A Hermeneutic-Phenomenological Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bongoy, Batombo M.

    2016-01-01

    This was a hermeneutic-phenomenological study on homeless students' life-world in urban, postsecondary public educational institutions. The sample population comprised 10 male and female Hispanic, Black, and Caucasian homeless student participants enrolled in professional and academic programs in postsecondary public vocational institutions…

  11. Phenomenology as research method or substantive metaphysics? An overview of phenomenology's uses in nursing.

    PubMed

    Earle, Vicki

    2010-10-01

    In exploring phenomenological literature, it is evident that the term 'phenomenology' holds rather different meanings depending upon the context. Phenomenology has been described as both a philosophical movement and an approach to human science research. The phenomenology of Husserl, Heidegger, Gadamer, and Merleau-Ponty was philosophical in nature and not intended to provide rules or procedures for conducting research. The Canadian social scientist, van Manen, however, introduced specific guidelines for conducting human science research, which is rooted in hermeneutic phenomenology and this particular method has been employed in professional disciplines such as education, nursing, clinical psychology, and law. The purpose of this paper is to explore the difference between the phenomenological method as described by van Manen and that of other philosophers such as Husserl, Heidegger, Gadamer, and Merleau-Ponty. In so doing, the author aims to address the blurred boundaries of phenomenology as a research method and as a philosophical movement and highlight the influence of these blurred boundaries on nursing knowledge development.

  12. Predisposition Factors of Career and Technical Education Transfer Students: A Hermeneutic Phenomenology Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hioki, Warren; Lester, Derek; Martinez, Mario

    2015-01-01

    Six college students, who were career and technical education (CTE) transfer students in the state of Nevada, were interviewed Spring Semester of 2009. The study used a hermeneutic phenomenology framework as the method to identify those predisposition variables that heavily influenced the students in their decision to transfer to a senior…

  13. The experience of flatus incontinence from a bowel ostomy: a hermeneutic phenomenology.

    PubMed

    Annells, Merilyn

    2006-01-01

    To interpret and present possible meanings in the stories of people with bowel ostomies about their experience of impact of flatus incontinence on their life and being. Hermeneutic phenomenology guided by a Gadamerian perspective. Six people with a bowel ostomy were recruited from a city in Australia. In-depth, nonstructured interviews generated rich text. Interviews were videotaped. A variety of interpretive, hermeneutic techniques were applied for text interpretation Nine existential themes of meaning emerged: I am undignified, I am a secret, I am always with gas, I am not myself alone, I am without choice, I am a seeker of control, I am the smell, I am not normal, and I am living a life-sort of. Through symbiotic interpretation, writing, and re-writing, themes were encompassed in a short story: a creative synthesis of actual events and interpreted understandings for ostomates about possible meanings of experiencing flatus incontinence. Flatus incontinence for people with bowel ostomies can be quite discommoding and impact on their interactions, self-image, sexuality, social activity, and psychological well-being. Nurses need to understand this for empathetic interaction, patient assessment, intervention selection, research planning, and pertinent education.

  14. Franz Kafka in the Design Studio: A Hermeneutic-Phenomenological Approach to Architectural Design Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hisarligil, Beyhan Bolak

    2012-01-01

    This article demonstrates the outcomes of taking a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to architectural design and discusses the potentials for imaginative reasoning in design education. This study tests the use of literature as a verbal form of art and design and the contribution it can make to imaginative design processes--which are all too…

  15. Help Needed: A Hermeneutic Phenomenology Study of the Experience of Teach for America Participants

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pack, Mamie L.

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand, interpret, and present the finding of how second year participants of the Teach for America (TFA) program perceived their professional needs from the mentor assigned to then within the school district and within the Teach for America program. The participants were Teach for…

  16. A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study of Pre-Service Physical Educators' Perceptions of Their Professional Preparedness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hampson, Geoffrey Martin

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to capture the essence of the perceptions of 11 pre-service physical educators in the final field placement and clinical practices of their undergraduate degree program at the University of Redbank, the University of Peters, and Ina University where they prepared to become professional…

  17. Introducing Postphenomenological Research: A Brief and Selective Sketch of Phenomenological Research Methods

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aagaard, Jesper

    2017-01-01

    In time, phenomenology has become a viable approach to conducting qualitative studies in education. Popular and well-established methods include descriptive and hermeneutic phenomenology. Based on critiques of the essentialism and receptivity of these two methods, however, this article offers a third variation of empirical phenomenology:…

  18. Slaughtering for a living: A hermeneutic phenomenological perspective on the well-being of slaughterhouse employees

    PubMed Central

    Victor, Karen; Barnard, Antoni

    2016-01-01

    Slaughterhouses constitute a unique work setting exposing employees to particular physical and psychological health challenges. Research that focuses on the well-being of slaughterhouse employees is limited, and the aim of this study was to explore their well-being by conducting a hermeneutic phenomenological study of specifically the slaughterfloor employees’ work-life experiences. The study was conducted in a South African commercial abattoir setting. Thirteen slaughterfloor employees and two managers of the slaughterfloor section participated in unstructured interviews. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach to data analysis was adopted following the stages of a naïve reading, a structural thematic analysis, and a comprehensive understanding. Data analysis resulted in four process-related themes representing the different stages of becoming a slaughterer, (mal)adjusting to slaughter work, coping with and maintaining the work, and living with the psycho-social consequences of slaughter work. Results facilitate an understanding of how employee well-being manifests in each of these stages of being a slaughterfloor employee. The risk potential of employees suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome was evident throughout the stages of being a slaughterfloor employee and offers a useful diagnostic framework to facilitate employee well-being assistance. Slaughterhouse management should develop a holistic focus addressing employee well-being needs evident in each of the stages of being a slaughter worker and by extending well-being interventions to the broader communities that the slaughterhouse functions in. PMID:27104340

  19. Slaughtering for a living: A hermeneutic phenomenological perspective on the well-being of slaughterhouse employees.

    PubMed

    Victor, Karen; Barnard, Antoni

    2016-01-01

    Slaughterhouses constitute a unique work setting exposing employees to particular physical and psychological health challenges. Research that focuses on the well-being of slaughterhouse employees is limited, and the aim of this study was to explore their well-being by conducting a hermeneutic phenomenological study of specifically the slaughterfloor employees' work-life experiences. The study was conducted in a South African commercial abattoir setting. Thirteen slaughterfloor employees and two managers of the slaughterfloor section participated in unstructured interviews. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach to data analysis was adopted following the stages of a naïve reading, a structural thematic analysis, and a comprehensive understanding. Data analysis resulted in four process-related themes representing the different stages of becoming a slaughterer, (mal)adjusting to slaughter work, coping with and maintaining the work, and living with the psycho-social consequences of slaughter work. Results facilitate an understanding of how employee well-being manifests in each of these stages of being a slaughterfloor employee. The risk potential of employees suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome was evident throughout the stages of being a slaughterfloor employee and offers a useful diagnostic framework to facilitate employee well-being assistance. Slaughterhouse management should develop a holistic focus addressing employee well-being needs evident in each of the stages of being a slaughter worker and by extending well-being interventions to the broader communities that the slaughterhouse functions in.

  20. Former patients' experiences of recovery from self-harm as an individual, prolonged learning process: a phenomenological hermeneutical study.

    PubMed

    Tofthagen, Randi; Talseth, Anne Grethe; Fagerstrøm, Lisbeth Maria

    2017-10-01

    To explore, describe and understand former patients' experiences of recovery from self-harm. Previous research shows that a person's development towards a more secure self-image, mastery of their emotions, an understanding of what triggers self-harm and mastery of new ways to cope with problems are central to recovery. Recovery from self-harm is still a relatively new field of research. A phenomenological hermeneutical approach. Eight participants were interviewed in 2013. Inclusion criteria were as follows: to have committed no self-harm during the past 2 years, to have experienced recovery and to be 18 or older. We analysed data using a phenomenological hermeneutical method. The findings resulted in three themes with subthemes. The first theme, the turning point, occurred at the start of the recovery process. Participants learned to choose life, verbally express their inner pain and reconcile with their life histories. In the second theme, coping with everyday life, participants learned how to choose alternative actions instead of self-harm and attend to their basic, physical needs. In the third theme, valuing close relationships and relationships with mental health nurses, participants learned to receive support from close relationships with others and mental health nurses. A tentative model illustrates the comprehensive understanding of the recovery process, described as an individual, prolonged learning process. To achieve recovery, persons who self-harm need guidance and knowledge of how to realize a personal learning process. More research is needed on how mental health nurses can support individual transition processes and thereby facilitate recovery. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Beyond Logic--Entering the Realm of Mystery: Hermeneutic Phenomenology as a Tool for Reflecting on Children's Spirituality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hyde, Brendan

    2005-01-01

    This paper suggests hermeneutic phenomenology as a theoretical framework for reflecting, interpreting and gaining insight into children's spirituality. It describes an episode that took place in a Year 5 classroom involving a 10-year-old child and his response to an Australian Aboriginal Dreamtime story. The possibilities this observed incident…

  2. A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Exploration of the Impact of Technology on the Collaborative Practices of Rural Middle School Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dailey, Kimberli Simmemon

    2017-01-01

    This qualitative study described the impact of collaboration and technology-based communication on the professional experiences of rural middle school classroom teachers. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used to determine if technology-based tools, such as online discussion boards, email, social networking sites, and short message…

  3. A hermeneutic phenomenological understanding of men's healing from childhood maltreatment.

    PubMed

    Willis, Danny G; Rhodes, Alison M; Dionne-Odom, James N; Lee, Kayoung; Terreri, Pamela

    2015-03-01

    To describe and interpret men's experience of healing from childhood maltreatment. Hermeneutic phenomenological. In-depth interviews. Community-based purposive, maximum variation sampling approach. Recruitment occurred through posting flyers and advertisements. Verbatim data were analyzed and themes of the meaning of healing were identified. The meaning of healing was interpreted as "moving beyond suffering." Five themes were identified to capture the multidimensional nature of the phenomenon: (a) breaking through the masculine veneer, (b) finding meaning, (c) choosing to live well, (d) caring for the self using holistic healing methods, and (e) engaging in humanizing relationships. Men who survived childhood maltreatment have needs to heal holistically mind, body, and spirit. Meeting their needs requires the provision of highly compassionate humanistic healing environments and healing-promotive nursing care. © The Author(s) 2014.

  4. The problem drinker's lived experience of suffering: an exploration using hermeneutic phenomenology.

    PubMed

    Smith, B A

    1998-01-01

    Research in the area of problem drinking has traditionally relied on quantitative methodologies which view the problem from the researcher's perspective. The purpose of this hermeneutic-phenomenological study was to describe and understand the problem drinker's lived experience of suffering using a philosophy and research approach which preserves the uniqueness of the experience from the sufferer's point of view. The method involved conducting in-depth interviews with a sample of six problem drinkers. Interviews were analysed using an interpretive process, which aimed at generating a deeper understanding of the topic by facilitating a fusion of the world views of both participant and researcher. A reflexive journal recorded the involvement of the self of the researcher throughout the research process. Suffering was viewed as a spiralling vicious circle of physical, psychological, social and spiritual distress. Symptoms of physical dependence, shame and guilt emerged strongly as being both sequelae of heavy drinking and cues to further drinking bouts. Evoking memories of previous suffering through telling one's story was found to be an empowering and motivating force. The results have relevance to specialist and generic workers, who are urged to pay greater attention to the social, psychological and spiritual care of problem drinkers.

  5. Methodological and hermeneutic reduction - a study of Finnish multiple-birth families.

    PubMed

    Heinonen, Kristiina

    2015-07-01

    To describe reduction as a method in methodological and hermeneutic reduction and the hermeneutic circle using van Manen's principles, with the empirical example of the lifeworlds of multiple-birth families in Finland. Reduction involves several levels that can be distinguished for their methodological usefulness. Researchers can use reduction in different ways and dimensions for their methodological needs. Open interviews with public health nurses, family care workers and parents of twins. The systematic literature and knowledge review shows there were no articles on multiple-birth families that used van Manen's method. This paper presents reduction as a method that uses the hermeneutic circle. The lifeworlds of multiple-birth families consist of three core themes: 'A state of constant vigilance'; 'Ensuring that they can continue to cope'; and 'Opportunities to share with other people'. Reduction allows us to perform deep phenomenological-hermeneutic research and understand people's lifeworlds. It helps to keep research stages separate but also enables a consolidated view. Social care and healthcare professionals have to hear parents' voices better to comprehensively understand their situation; they also need further tools and training to be able to empower parents of twins. The many variations in adapting reduction mean its use can be very complex and confusing. This paper adds to the discussion of phenomenology, hermeneutic study and reduction.

  6. Writing Our Lived Experience: Beyond the (Pale) Hermeneutic?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Geelan, David R.; Taylor, Peter C.

    2001-01-01

    Makes a case for an alternative epistemology of research based on the hermeneutic-phenomenology of Max van Manen (1990). This interpretive approach to understanding the nature of a social phenomenon involves the researcher in making explicit the meaning of a particular lived experience and generating a pedagogical thoughtfulness in readers.…

  7. Critical appraisal of rigour in interpretive phenomenological nursing research.

    PubMed

    de Witt, Lorna; Ploeg, Jenny

    2006-07-01

    This paper reports a critical review of published nursing research for expressions of rigour in interpretive phenomenology, and a new framework of rigour specific to this methodology is proposed. The rigour of interpretive phenomenology is an important nursing research methods issue that has direct implications for the legitimacy of nursing science. The use of a generic set of qualitative criteria of rigour for interpretive phenomenological studies is problematic because it is philosophically inconsistent with the methodology and creates obstacles to full expression of rigour in such studies. A critical review was conducted of the published theoretical interpretive phenomenological nursing literature from 1994 to 2004 and the expressions of rigour in this literature identified. We used three sources to inform the derivation of a proposed framework of expressions of rigour for interpretive phenomenology: the phenomenological scholar van Manen, the theoretical interpretive phenomenological nursing literature, and Madison's criteria of rigour for hermeneutic phenomenology. The nursing literature reveals a broad range of criteria for judging the rigour of interpretive phenomenological research. The proposed framework for evaluating rigour in this kind of research contains the following five expressions: balanced integration, openness, concreteness, resonance, and actualization. Balanced integration refers to the intertwining of philosophical concepts in the study methods and findings and a balance between the voices of study participants and the philosophical explanation. Openness is related to a systematic, explicit process of accounting for the multiple decisions made throughout the study process. Concreteness relates to usefulness for practice of study findings. Resonance encompasses the experiential or felt effect of reading study findings upon the reader. Finally, actualization refers to the future realization of the resonance of study findings. Adoption of this

  8. Why don't some women return for cervical smears? A hermeneutic phenomenological investigation.

    PubMed

    Buetow, Stephen; Janes, Ron; Steed, Robin; Ihimaera, Louise; Elley, C Raina

    2007-10-01

    To enhance understanding of how having a cervical smear can lead some women not to keep up-to-date with this test, a hermeneutic (interpretative) phenomenological study was undertaken. Participants were six purposively selected New Zealand women -- predominantly Māori -- at least 6 months overdue for a follow-up cervical screen in the previous 6 years. Each woman gave an in-depth interview. Transcribed and analyzed via a general inductive approach, the interviews suggested that the smears can violate women's positive aloneness with their bodies, and magnify aloneness as a negative state. Overdueness for the test avoids these effects. To minimize such effects, primary health care needs to acknowledge and address these issues, for example by providing an opportunity to connect the aloneness to trusted others.

  9. The lived experience of first year undergraduate student nurses: A hermeneutic phenomenological study.

    PubMed

    Porteous, Debra J; Machin, Alison

    2018-01-01

    This study gives insight into the experiences and perceptions of one group of undergraduate nursing students as they make the transition into Higher Education and the nursing profession, during the first year, of their three-year programme. Research has shown that first year undergraduate experience is complex and challenging for any student. For undergraduate nursing students, the process of achieving additional professional practice competencies required for United Kingdom nursing registration adds additional responsibility and potentially, more pressure. Few studies have considered student nurses' lived experiences during their first year of study in any depth. This study aimed to understand how one group of undergraduate nursing students perceived their experiences of the transition into higher education and nursing profession. Framed within an interpretive philosophical paradigm, a hermeneutic phenomenological approach enabled the exploration of participants' lived experiences. The study took place at a Higher Education Institution approved nurse education provider in the North of England, United Kingdom (UK). Following ethical approval, ten first year student nurses from a range of different backgrounds gave informed consent to participate. Over a one year period between 2013 and 2014 participants provided data at three points during their first year (four months, eight months and twelve months) via semi-structured, digitally recorded individual interviews (n=30) and digital recordings of critical incident accounts as they occurred (n=30). Data was transcribed verbatim, systematically thematically analysed drawing on hermeneutic phenomenological principles and verified for thematic accuracy by participants in 2015. Five themes emerged from the data: uncertainty; expectations; learning to survive; seeking support; and moving forward. Findings identify that the participants had developed skills to survive however considerable variation in their experience

  10. Looks Good on Paper: A Phenomenological Study of Reflective High School Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Skemp, Charles John

    2010-01-01

    This study is a phenomenology of the practice of high school teaching. It is an examination of the day-to-day lived experience of high school teachers. The research is grounded in Heidegger's (1962) theory of hermeneutic phenomenology, as well as Polanyi's (1961) theory of tacit knowing. The study uses a phenomenological research design influenced…

  11. Older women's experiences of depression: a hermeneutic phenomenological study.

    PubMed

    Allan, J; Dixon, A

    2009-12-01

    This hermeneutic phenomenological study, informed by Max van Manen and Martin Heidegger, describes what it is like for four older women to live with depression. Each participant was interviewed up to three times. Interviews were semi-structured, audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using van Manen's methodological themes and Heidegger's philosophical concepts of Being-in-the-world and Being-with-others. The themes that emerged were: self-loathing; being overwhelmed by the feelings; hiding from the world; the struggle of everyday life; Being-alone; misinterpreting self and other people; the stigma of mental illness - society and self; and seeking understanding from other people. The findings revealed that depression had a major effect on the women's beliefs about themselves, resulting in a self-loathing and a feeling of failure. The participants described how their self-loathing caused them to believe that other people thought badly of them, which led to their withdrawal. Their inability to connect contributed to them feeling alone and isolated. These women were more able to talk to other people when they were met with understanding. This has implications for the therapeutic nurse-patient relationship, which is fundamental to mental health nursing, because the relationship should be based upon an understanding of the patient's world.

  12. Using Hermeneutics as a Qualitative Research Approach in Professional Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paterson, Margo; Higgs, Joy

    2005-01-01

    This paper is targeted primarily at doctoral students and others considering hermeneutics as a research strategy. Research using hermeneutics was carried out with occupational therapy educators and clinicians in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the UK. A total of 53 participants engaged in focus groups and individual interviews over a one-year.…

  13. Practical Discourse Revisited: Hermeneutics at the Intersection of Philosophy and Nursing.

    PubMed

    Padgett, Stephen M

    Three early papers by Janice Thompson-Practical Discourse, Critical Scholarship, and Hermeneutic Inquiry-are examined in reference to the historical context of the time (1985-1990), and implications for current scholarship. Hermeneutic philosophy has been neglected in recent years, overshadowed by its weaker cousin phenomenology. I argue that renewed attention to hermeneutics would help us focus on the "situatedness" of nursing scholars, the class politics of academia, and a better balance in interpretative work between faith and suspicion. Critical hermeneutics also offers a more robust understanding of praxis and phronesis, and links to pragmatism and social studies of science.

  14. A hermeneutic phenomenological analysis of midwives' ways of knowing during childbirth.

    PubMed

    Hunter, Lauren P

    2008-12-01

    to explore the ways of knowing used by the midwife while attending women during childbirth through textual analysis of poems written by American midwives. a hermeneutic phenomenology and human science research method inspired by van Manen was used. Midwifery ways of knowing during childbirth were thematically derived from 10 poems written by midwives about attending childbirth or the experience of being a midwife. Textual analysis included examination of the poems as a whole, via verse and metaphor, and via individual lines of prose. 10 American midwives wrote the poems used in this study. The poems were discovered through online searches of many databases using the key words 'poetry, poems, midwifery and childbirth' and through a national call for poetry by the researcher over a period of 4 years (1996-2000), undertaken in order to publish an anthology of poetry written by midwives. three authoritative ways of knowing that guided the care given by the midwife to women during childbirth were discovered. They were self-knowledge from the belief system of the individual midwife, grounded knowledge from the midwife's personal lived experience with childbirth, and informed knowledge from objective and scholarly sources. midwives must continue to develop their own body of knowledge in order to move the profession forward. Multiple ways of knowing including the use of experiential/contextual and intuitive knowledge is legitimate and humane, if provision of care is holistic. Care of women during childbirth can be enhanced with the use of multiple knowers and multiple ways of knowing. This study captured a unique and fresh interpretation of the lived experience of midwifery knowledge. Midwifery educational programmes should offer opportunities for students to explore the artistry as well as the science of midwifery practice.

  15. Lived Experiences of "Illness Uncertainty" of Iranian Cancer Patients: A Phenomenological Hermeneutic Study.

    PubMed

    Sajjadi, Moosa; Rassouli, Maryam; Abbaszadeh, Abbas; Brant, Jeannine; Majd, Hamid Alavi

    2016-01-01

    For cancer patients, uncertainty is a pervasive experience and a major psychological stressor that affects many aspects of their lives. Uncertainty is a multifaceted concept, and its understanding for patients depends on many factors, including factors associated with various sociocultural contexts. Unfortunately, little is known about the concept of uncertainty in Iranian society and culture. This study aimed to clarify the concept and explain lived experiences of illness uncertainty in Iranian cancer patients. In this hermeneutic phenomenological study, 8 cancer patients participated in semistructured in-depth interviews about their experiences of uncertainty in illness. Interviews continued until data saturation was reached. All interviews were recorded, transcribed, analyzed, and interpreted using 6 stages of the van Manen phenomenological approach. Seven main themes emerged from patients' experiences of illness uncertainty of cancer. Four themes contributed to uncertainty including "Complexity of Cancer," "Confusion About Cancer," "Contradictory Information," and "Unknown Future." Two themes facilitated coping with uncertainty including "Seeking Knowledge" and "Need for Spiritual Peace." One theme, "Knowledge Ambivalence," revealed the struggle between wanting to know and not wanting to know, especially if bad news was delivered. Uncertainty experience for cancer patients in different societies is largely similar. However, some experiences (eg, ambiguity in access to medical resources) seemed unique to Iranian patients. This study provided an outlook of cancer patients' experiences of illness uncertainty in Iran. Cancer patients' coping ability to deal with uncertainty can be improved.

  16. The role of Philosophical Hermeneutics in contributing to an understanding of physiotherapy practice: a reflexive illustration.

    PubMed

    Stenner, Rob; Mitchell, Theresa; Palmer, Shea

    2017-09-01

    This paper provides an overview of Philosophical Hermeneutics based on the work of German philosopher Hans Georg Gadamer. The concepts of the 'hermeneutic circle' as a vehicle for interpretation, management of the researcher's pre-understandings (prejudices), and the 'fusion of horizons' are introduced and illustrated by examples from the first author's research, before considering how rigour can be achieved in this type of research. The actual research study which aimed to explore how shared decision making and patient partnership are addressed by physiotherapists in the process of exercise prescription for patients with low back pain (LBP) is not the focus of this paper. However short descriptions of the study are used to explore issues surrounding a hermeneutic inquiry. For physiotherapists interested in research or considering undertaking an interpretive phenomenological inquiry, this theoretical discussion paper explores how Gadamer's philosophy offers a credible framework for undertaking such research. Copyright © 2016 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Foundations of Phenomenological Psychology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aanstoos, Christopher M.

    Phenomenology, hermeneutics and experiential psychology form the backbone of an emerging paradigm within psychology known as human science. Human science's use of phenomenology provides a way to set aside the naturalistic presupposition and directly study the irreducible involvement of human existence within a meaningful world, as it is given in…

  18. Living with incurable oesophageal cancer. A phenomenological hermeneutical interpretation of patient stories.

    PubMed

    Missel, Malene; Birkelund, Regner

    2011-09-01

    The study explores how patients diagnosed with incurable oesophageal cancer experience living with the illness, and provides insight into and an understanding of the patients' situation, reality and phenomena in their life world. The method takes a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach, inspired by the French philosopher Paul Ricoeur's narrative theory on mimesis as the structure and process of the method, and Ricoeur's theory of interpretation for the analysis of patient stories. The stories materialise from narrative interviews, and the phenomena of the patients' life world results in an analysis of these stories. Through the analysis of the narrative interviews, phenomena of the patients' life world appear which are described in themes such as debut of the illness, denial, the person's own suspicion, existential turning point, despair, hope, the body, affirmation of irrevocable illness, acknowledgement of dying, life phenomena, relations and feeling of independence. The understanding of the patients' experiences is augmented and improved through a discussion of the themes in a philosophical perspective, drawing upon theoretical and philosophical viewpoints of Kierkegaard, Løgstrup, Merleau-Ponty, Ricoeur, Benner & Wrubel, and on empirical research. Based on the phenomena in the ill person's life world brought about by analysis, it seems that incurably ill oesophageal cancer patients find themselves in a complex life situation, in which they need more than an objective estimate and fulfilment of need from hospital service. Our study illustrates some perspectives on the life situation of the incurably ill, which will contribute to the improved development of supportive care in nursing. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Hermeneutic application research - finding a common understanding and consensus on care and caring.

    PubMed

    Koskinen, Camilla; Nyström, Lisbet

    2017-03-01

    To clinically and contextually implement the theoretical and factual knowledge of care and caring that has been developed in the last 30 years is seen as a great challenge in caring science research. Emphasis has been put on problem-solving research methodologies and action research in hopes of narrowing the divide between caring theory and clinical practice. Thus, the intention is now to further action research towards a hermeneutic approach and to put emphasis on hermeneutic application where theory and praxis become one through human dialogue. This article highlights hermeneutic application research as an alternative methodology within participatory-oriented research which presents a new opportunity to unite clinical practice and caring theory. The aim is to contribute to the development of the hermeneutical application research design in its epistemological, ontological and ethical perspective, by articulating and clarifying the central foundations in the application. On the basis of Gadamer's hermeneutical thinking and Levinas ethical thinking, the central foundations in the application research are ethics, creation of a hermeneutical room, dialogue and common understanding and appropriation and action. When theoretical understanding turns into praxis, knowledge also becomes activity and theory and practice become one. Application thus realises the basic idea that praxis and theory are one, and thus, theory of caring can only become evident and implemented in a clinical practice through moments when the participants find a common understanding and consensus on the knowledge of care and caring. © 2015 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  20. Spinal-Cord-Injured Individual's Experiences of Having a Partner: A Phenomenological-Hermeneutic Study.

    PubMed

    Angel, Sanne

    2015-06-01

    Having a partner is a strong factor in adaptation to the new life situation with a spinal cord injury (SCI). Still, more knowledge in detail about the partner's influences according to the experiences of individuals with SCI could contribute to the understanding of the situation after an injury. The aim of this phenomenological-hermeneutic article is to achieve a deeper understanding of nine individuals' experiences the first 2 years after SCI. In rehabilitation after SCI, the partner supported the SCI individual's life spirit by not giving up and by still seeing possibilities in the future. The partner reinforced the SCI individual's commitment to life by sharing experiences; providing love, trust, and hope; and giving priority to the best things in life for the SCI individual. This implied cohabitation providing concrete help and an intimacy that helped to cope with problems and anxieties and allowed SCI individuals the ability to self-realize. This promoted feelings of profound gratitude but also dependency. Thus, the SCI individual benefitted from the partner's support mentally and physically, which enabled a life that would not otherwise be possible.

  1. Open, trusting relationships underpin safety in rural maternity a hermeneutic phenomenology study.

    PubMed

    Crowther, Susan; Smythe, Elizabeth

    2016-11-24

    There are interwoven personal, professional and organisational relationships to be navigated in maternity in all regions. In rural regions relationships are integral to safe maternity care. Yet there is a paucity of research on how relationships influence safety and nurture satisfying experiences for rural maternity care providers and mothers and families in these regions. This paper draws attention to how these relationships matter. This research is informed by hermeneutic phenomenology drawing on Heidegger and Gadamer. Thirteen participants were recruited via purposeful sampling and asked to share their experiences of rural maternity care in recorded unstructured in-depth interviews. Participants were women and health care providers living and working in rural regions. Recordings were transcribed and data interpretively analysed until a plausible and trustworthy thematic pattern emerged. Throughout the data the relational nature of rural living surfaced as an interweaving tapestry of connectivity. Relationships in rural maternity are revealed in myriad ways: for some optimal relationships, for others feeling isolated, living with discord and professional disharmony. Professional misunderstandings undermine relationships. Rural maternity can become unsustainable and unsettling when relationships break down leading to unsafeness. This study reveals how relationships are an important and vital aspect to the lived-experience of rural maternity care. Relationships are founded on mutual understanding and attuned to trust matter. These relationships are forged over time and keep childbirth safe and enable maternity care providers to work sustainably. Yet hidden unspoken pre-understandings of individuals and groups build tension in relationships leading to discord. Trust builds healthy rural communities of practice within which everyone can flourish, feel accepted, supported and safe. This is facilitated by collaborative learning activities and open respectful

  2. [Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study on Caring Experience of the Mothers of Children with Epilepsy].

    PubMed

    Joung, Woo Joung; Yi, Myungsun

    2017-02-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop a deeper understanding of the experience of mothers caring for children with epilepsy. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews and observation from 12 mothers of children with epilepsy. Data were collected from December, 2014 to February, 2015 and analyzed using van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenological methodology to identify essential themes of their experience. The essential themes that fit into the context of the 4-existential grounds of time, body, other people, and space were: Lived time-ongoing influence of the past, living in insecure present, fearful future with no answer; Lived body-bonded body, burned out state; Lived other-burden but also support, shrunken down; Lived space-narrowed range of activity, widened horizon. The findings in this study show in-depth understanding of the hardships of mothers who are caring for children with epilepsy. The beauty and greatness of these mothers are revealed through the analysis of various phenomenological materials such as literary and artistic work reflecting socio-cultural context, as well as vivid care experiences of mothers of children with epilepsy. This will be helpful in increasing understanding of the nature of caregivers' experience for medical professionals dealing with patients and caregivers. Also it helps to improve the understanding of the disease among the general public, followed by a more warming and caring attitude towards patients and family members. Finally, it will enhance psychological well-being and overall quality of life of the epileptic children and their families. © 2017 Korean Society of Nursing Science

  3. Mentoring student nurses and the educational use of self: a hermeneutic phenomenological study.

    PubMed

    Wilson, Anthea M E

    2014-03-01

    In the United Kingdom, pre-registration nurse education relies on workplace mentors to support and assess practice learning. Despite research to clarify expectations and develop support structures, mentors nevertheless report being overwhelmed by the responsibility of mentoring alongside their clinical work. Understanding of their lived experience appears limited. The aim of the study was to achieve a deeper understanding of the lived experience of mentoring, searching for insights into how mentors can be better prepared and supported. The mentor lifeworld was explored utilizing a hermeneutic phenomenological methodology drawing on Heidegger. Twelve mentors, who worked in a range of clinical settings in England were recruited via purposive and snowball sampling. Participants described their experiences of mentoring through in-depth interviews and event diaries which included 'rich pictures'. Analysis involved the application of four lifeworld existentials proposed by van Manen - temporality, spatiality, corporeality and relationality. The essence of being a mentor was 'the educational use of self'. Temporality featured in the past self and moving with daily/work rhythms. Spatiality evoked issues of proximity and accountability and the inner and outer spaces of patients' bodies. Mentor corporeality revealed using the body for teaching, and mentors revealed their relationality in providing a 'good educational experience' and sustaining their 'educational selves'. 'The educational use of self' offers insight into the lived experience of mentors, and exposes the potentially hidden elements of mentoring experience, which can inform mentor preparation and support. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Toward Understanding Through Hermeneutic Letterwriting.

    PubMed

    Nyholm, Linda; Nyström, Lisbet; Lindström, Unni Å

    2018-04-01

    The authors present letterwriting as a hermeneutic research method in that it contributes to the methodological development within the hermeneutical research tradition in caring science. The hermeneutic methodology is inspired by Hans-Georg Gadamer. Hermeneutic letterwriting in accordance with Gadamer's thought is a form of dialogue in writing, where what is truthful about the thing itself is unveiled with the help of the language. Hermeneutic letterwriting is presented in five steps. As a method, hermeneutic letterwriting is appropriate for complex caring science issues, and it offers new opportunities for attaining a deeper understanding of the world of caring.

  5. 'Being in it together': living with a partner receiving deep brain stimulation for advanced Parkinson's disease--a hermeneutic phenomenological study.

    PubMed

    Haahr, Anita; Kirkevold, Marit; Hall, Elisabeth O C; Østergaard, Karen

    2013-02-01

    This article is a report of an exploration of the lived experience of being a spouse to a person living with advanced Parkinson's disease, before and during the first year of deep brain stimulation. Parkinson's disease is a chronic progressive neurodegenerative disease. It has a profound impact on the everyday life for patients and spouses. Deep brain stimulation is offered with the aim of reducing symptoms of Parkinson's disease. The treatment is known to improve quality of life for patients, but little is known of how spouses experience life following their partners' treatment. A longitudinal interview study with a hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Ten spouses were included in the study. Data were gathered in 2007-2008, through qualitative in-depth interviews with spouses once before and three times during the first year of their partners' treatment with Deep Brain Stimulation. Data collection and data analysis were influenced by the hermeneutic phenomenological methodology of van Manen. The uniting theme 'Solidarity - the base for joined responsibility and concern' was the foundation for the relationship between spouses and their partners. Before treatment, the theme 'Living in partnership' was dominant. After treatment two dichotomous courses were described 'A sense of freedom embracing life' and 'The challenge of changes and constraint'. Spouses are deeply involved in their partners' illness and their experience of life is highly affected by their partners' illness, both before and after deep brain stimulation. The relationship is founded on solidarity and responsibility, which emphasizes spouses' need to be informed and involved in the process following Deep Brain Stimulation. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  6. The lived experiences of resilience in Iranian adolescents living in residential care facilities: A hermeneutic phenomenological study.

    PubMed

    Nourian, Manijeh; Shahbolaghi, Farahnaz Mohammadi; Tabrizi, Kian Nourozi; Rassouli, Maryam; Biglarrian, Akbar

    2016-01-01

    Resilience is one of the main factors affecting human health, and perceiving its meaning for high-risk adolescents is of particular importance in initiating preventive measures and providing resilience care. This qualitative study was conducted to explain the meaning of resilience in the lived experiences of Iranian adolescents living in governmental residential care facilities. This study was conducted using the hermeneutic phenomenological method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight adolescents aged 13-17 living in governmental residential care facilities of Tehran province affiliated to the Welfare Organization of Iran who articulated their experiences of resilience. Sampling lasted from May 2014 to July 2015 and continued until new themes were no longer emerging. The researchers analyzed the verbatim transcripts using Van Manen's six-step method of phenomenology. The themes obtained in this study included "going through life's hardships," "aspiring for achievement," "self-protection," "self-reliance," and "spirituality." Our study indicates that the meaning of resilience coexists with self-reliance in adolescents' lived experiences. Adolescents look forward to a better future. They always trust God in the face of difficulties and experience resilience by keeping themselves physically and mentally away from difficulties. Adverse and bitter experiences of the past positively affected their positive view on life and its difficulties and also their resilience. The five themes that emerged from the findings describe the results in detail. The findings of this study enable nurses, health administrators, and healthcare providers working with adolescents to help this vulnerable group cope better with their stressful life conditions and improve their health through increasing their capacity for resilience.

  7. Mealtimes in a neurological ward: a phenomenological-hermeneutic study.

    PubMed

    Beck, Malene; Martinsen, Bente; Poulsen, Ingrid; Birkelund, Regner

    2016-06-01

    To examine the environment surrounding hospital meals for patients with neurological diseases. A determined effort has been made to optimise the nutrition of hospitalised patients. However, the organisation of mealtimes and their relational and aesthetic aspects have not received similar attention. The result is that all other tasks continue with undiminished intensity when patient meals are served and eaten. Based on a qualitative design, 25 mealtime situations were systematically observed. The observations varied by time of day, date, staff and patients present. Field notes were taken on the spot, and quotes were written directly. After transcription, the text materials were analysed and interpreted using a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach inspired by the philosopher Paul Ricouer. Three main themes were identified in the analysis: eating in a railway station, creating aesthetic mealtimes in an unaesthetic atmosphere and using familiar rituals in unfamiliar surroundings. The inclusion of aesthetic elements and familiarity was found to play an important role in the desire of patients to eat. However, these elements were challenged by the design of the physical space and institutional structures. This study contributes to our understanding of the environment surrounding hospital meals for patients with neurological diseases. Based on this study, it can be concluded that meals were at a high risk of being served as a mindless task without the recognition that mealtimes are sensed with the whole body of the patient and not only by the mouth. The importance of the mealtime environment must be acknowledged because it serves as a communicative aspect for neurological patients by letting them know what to expect from the coming hospital meal. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Pain Experience in Hemophilia Patients: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study

    PubMed Central

    Rambod, Masoume; Sharif, Farkhondeh; Molazem, Zahra; Khair, Kate

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Background: Pain, as a crucial subsequence of joint hemorrhages in hemophilia patients, is chronic, debilitating, and distracting. This study aimed to describe and interpret pain experiences of hemophilia patients in their lives. Methods: This qualitative study with hermeneutic phenomenological approach was conducted on fourteen hemophilia patients who had been referred to a hemophilia center affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. The study question was “what is the meaning of pain in hemophilia patients’ lives? The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and field notes through purposeful sampling. Then, thematic analysis with van Manen’s six-step methodological framework was used. MAX.QDA qualitative software package, 2010, was used to analyze the data. Results: The three main themes that emerged in this study were “alteration in physical health”, “engagement in psychological problems”, and “impairment in social relationships”. Alteration in physical health consisted of three subthemes, namely “impairment of physical function”, “change in body physics”, and “disturbance in sleep quality”. In addition, two subthemes including “nostalgia of pain in adults with hemophilia” and “psychological distress” emerged from engagement in psychological problems. Finally, “loss of social activity” and “change in relationships” were related to impairment in social relationships. Conclusion: The present study highlighted alteration in physical health, engagement in psychological problems, and impairment in social relationship as a result of pain in hemophilia patients. Thus, healthcare providers and family members have to pay special attention to these problems. Besides, providing complementary therapy interventions is suggested for reducing these issues. PMID:27713894

  9. Perceptions of teaching African American students who succeed during science testing: A hermeneutic phenomenological study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harris, Tevis Tramaine

    The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological research was to explore the perceptions of teachers as they instruct African American students who are successful on the North Carolina End-of-Grade Science test. The study identified thoughts, feelings, emotions, and challenges that teachers faced when instructing successful African American students from Title I schools in rural community classrooms. The research study analysis utilized NVivo10RTM software and identified common themes in the data. Five themes emerged from interviews with five fifth- and eighth-grade science teachers. Based on the teachers' perceptions, the findings revealed: (a) teachers experience an emotional journey in high poverty schools; (b) investments encompass sacrificing whatever is needed to help students become successful; (c) relationships should be developed between the teacher and student; (d) intentionality is a part of teachers' daily interaction with students; and (e) teachers encounter a challenging opportunity instructing African American students in science. This study provides valuable data in understanding the experiences of teachers as they instruct successful African American students and the challenges, obstacles, and triumphs teachers face when working with this population of students. The implications of the study suggest that educational leaders provide emotional support to help teachers manage the plethora of emotions experienced on a daily basis. Future study of successful teachers of African American students may further inform the dearth of literature surrounding the experience of successful teachers of minority students.

  10. Re-birth after coronary bypass graft surgery: a hermeneutic-phenomenological study.

    PubMed

    Abbasi, Mohammad; Mohammadi, Nooredin; Nasrabadi, Alireza Nikbakht; Fuh, Suh Boudouin; Sadeghi, Tahereh

    2014-03-31

    Although coronary artery bypass graft surgery has significant effects on reducing the symptoms of coronary artery disease, there is not enough knowledge and understanding of lived experience of patients after surgery. Understanding lived experience of this group of patients would be helpful for healthcare staff to provide better services to the patients. The aim of this study was to describe with a deeper understanding, the lived experiences of patients after Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach and a Van-Manen analysis method, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven participants who had lived experienced of at least six months post - coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Re-birth was the main theme that emerged in the process of data analysis. This theme was derived from four sub-themes including "feels younger", ''vigorous heart'', ''intrepid life'' and ''oriented to be healthy''. Life after a coronary artery bypass graft surgery is often appreciated as a re-birth by persons with these experiences as surgery did not only provide a feeling of wellness, but also added a sensation of youthfulness and improvement in the quality of life for these participants. In addition, they would actively participate in health promotional activities such as; adherence to medication and diet regimes, changes in lifestyle to maintain their health.

  11. Inquiry Skills: A Phenomenological Study on the Perceptions of First-Year Community College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Donaldson, Audrey

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the specific factors associated with inquiry skills as a component of success with college level coursework. A hermeneutic phenomenological study was conducted to gain an understanding based on interview responses to questions about learning experiences as perceived…

  12. Being the stranger: Comparing study abroad experiences of nursing students in low and high income countries through hermeneutical phenomenology.

    PubMed

    Maltby, Hendrika J; de Vries-Erich, Joy M; Lund, Karen

    2016-10-01

    To understand the experience of American nursing students who complete a study abroad trip to a low-income country, Bangladesh, versus a high-income country, the Netherlands in the development of cultural consciousness. Hermeneutic (interpretive) phenomenology was used to explore the journals of 44 students' experiences and reflections. The comprehensive understanding of the naïve and structural analysis revealed that, no matter where these students travelled, they increased their cultural consciousness. We need to revise curricula to create 'change from the familiar' experiences for all students (many cannot afford study abroad) to move students to cultural consciousness on their journey to cultural competency that may improve client health outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. "Phenomenology" and qualitative research methods.

    PubMed

    Nakayama, Y

    1994-01-01

    Phenomenology is generally based on phenomenological tradition from Husserl to Heidegger and Merleau-Ponty. As philosophical stances provide the assumptions in research methods, different philosophical stances produce different methods. However, the term "phenomenology" is used in various ways without the definition being given, such as phenomenological approach, phenomenological method, phenomenological research, etc. The term "phenomenology" is sometimes used as a paradigm and it is sometimes even viewed as synonymous with qualitative methods. As a result, the term "phenomenology" leads to conceptual confusions in qualitative research methods. The purpose of this paper is to examine the term "phenomenology" and explore philosophical assumptions, and discuss the relationship between philosophical stance and phenomenology as a qualitative research method in nursing.

  14. Opportunities and Possibilities: Philosophical Hermeneutics and the Educational Researcher

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Agrey, Loren G.

    2014-01-01

    The opportunities that philosophical hermeneutics provide as a research tool are explored and it is shown that this qualitative research method can be employed as a valuable tool for the educational researcher. Used as an alternative to the standard quantitative approach to educational research, currently being the dominant paradigm of data…

  15. The lived experiences of resilience in Iranian adolescents living in residential care facilities: A hermeneutic phenomenological study

    PubMed Central

    Nourian, Manijeh; Nourozi Tabrizi, Kian; Rassouli, Maryam; Biglarrian, Akbar

    2016-01-01

    Background Resilience is one of the main factors affecting human health, and perceiving its meaning for high-risk adolescents is of particular importance in initiating preventive measures and providing resilience care. Objectives This qualitative study was conducted to explain the meaning of resilience in the lived experiences of Iranian adolescents living in governmental residential care facilities. Materials and methods This study was conducted using the hermeneutic phenomenological method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight adolescents aged 13–17 living in governmental residential care facilities of Tehran province affiliated to the Welfare Organization of Iran who articulated their experiences of resilience. Sampling lasted from May 2014 to July 2015 and continued until new themes were no longer emerging. The researchers analyzed the verbatim transcripts using Van Manen's six-step method of phenomenology. Results The themes obtained in this study included “going through life's hardships,” “aspiring for achievement,” “self-protection,” “self-reliance,” and “spirituality.” Conclusion Our study indicates that the meaning of resilience coexists with self-reliance in adolescents’ lived experiences. Adolescents look forward to a better future. They always trust God in the face of difficulties and experience resilience by keeping themselves physically and mentally away from difficulties. Adverse and bitter experiences of the past positively affected their positive view on life and its difficulties and also their resilience. The five themes that emerged from the findings describe the results in detail. The findings of this study enable nurses, health administrators, and healthcare providers working with adolescents to help this vulnerable group cope better with their stressful life conditions and improve their health through increasing their capacity for resilience. PMID:26942909

  16. Investigating Relational Aggression and Bullying for Girls' of Color in Oklahoma: A Phenomenological Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Flynn, Gayle L.

    2016-01-01

    This qualitative research study, applying aspects of van Manen's framework for hermeneutic phenomenological research, was conducted to investigate the narratives of relationally aggressive girls of color. The study focused on nine adolescent girls of color who were ages 14-17 years old and exhibited aggressive/bullying behaviors representing the…

  17. Existential and Phenomenological Influences in Educational Philosophy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vandenberg, Donald

    1979-01-01

    Existentialism, methodology, phenomenology, and hermeneutics are defined as they apply to philosophy of education. A chronological presentation of the literature outlines the contributions of each. (JMF)

  18. Arts as an ecological method to enhance quality of work experience of healthcare staff: a phenomenological-hermeneutic study

    PubMed Central

    Bojner Horwitz, Eva; Grape Viding, Christina; Rydwik, Elisabeth; Huss, Ephrat

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT This paper explores the impact of self-chosen arts-based recreational activities, as opposed to the traditional arts therapy activities, on the well-being of healthcare providers. Three qualitative case studies of programs in which arts-based activities were used to work with healthcare providers, lasting for 10 weeks each, are phenomenological-hermeneutically evaluated using interviews and focus groups. The findings show what we refer to as an “ecological” ripple of effects: (1) the arts-based activities helped to reduce individual stress and to enhance mood over time, (2) the activities helped to transform workplace relationships within wards, and (3) the arts humanized the overall work climate in the healthcare setting. These effects go beyond those of using the art production as a strategy for stress reduction and imply potential for a more encompassing role for the arts within healthcare. PMID:28609216

  19. The experience of being a partner to a spinal cord injured person: A phenomenological-hermeneutic study

    PubMed Central

    Buus, Niels

    2011-01-01

    This qualitative focuses on the personal experiences of partners to a spinal cord injured person. Using a Ricoeurian phenomenological-hermeneutic approach, we analysed seven partners’ narratives 1 and 2 years after their partner's injury. The study revealed how the injury was experienced from the partners’ perspective through the aftermath. In the acute phase after the injury, partners also felt harmed, and support was needed in relation to their own daily activities, eating, resting, and managing distress. During the institutionalized rehabilitation, partners felt torn between supporting the injured partner and the demanding tasks of everyday life outside the institution. After discharge, partners struggled for the injured partner to regain a well-functioning everyday life and for reestablishing life as a couple. The partner struggled to manage the overwhelming amount of everyday tasks. Some sought to reestablish their usual functions outside the family, whereas others focused on establishing a new life together. The partners experienced much distress and appreciated the support they got, but felt that they were mainly left to manage the difficult process on their own. PMID:22007262

  20. Living with dementia in a nursing home, as described by persons with dementia: a phenomenological hermeneutic study.

    PubMed

    Mjørud, Marit; Engedal, Knut; Røsvik, Janne; Kirkevold, Marit

    2017-01-31

    Persons with dementia have described life in nursing home as difficult and lonely. Persons with dementia often reside in nursing homes for several years; therefore, knowledge is needed about how quality of life is affected in the nursing-home setting in order to be able to provide the best possible care. The aim of this study was to investigate the personal experience of living in a nursing home over time from the perspective of the person with dementia and to learn what makes life better or worse in the nursing home. A phenomenological hermeneutic research design was applied. Unstructured, face-to-face interviews and field observations were conducted twice, three months apart. Twelve persons residing in three different nursing homes were included. The analysis revealed four themes: "Being in the nursing home is okay, but you must take things as they are"; "Everything is gone"; "Things that make it better and things that make it worse"; and "Persons - for better or worse? Staff, family, and co-residents". Persons with dementia are able to communicate their feelings and thoughts about their lives in the nursing home and can name several factors that have impacts on their quality of life. They differentiate between members of the staff, and they prefer their primary nurse. They are content with life in general, but everyday life is boring, and their sense of contentment is based on acceptance of certain facts of reality and their ability to adjust their expectations.

  1. Philosophy of phenomenology: how understanding aids research.

    PubMed

    Converse, Mary

    2012-01-01

    To assist the researcher in understanding the similarities and differences between the Husserlian and Heideggerian philosophies of phenomenology, and how that philosophy can inform nursing research as a useful methodology. Nurse researchers using phenomenology as a methodology need to understand the philosophy of phenomenology to produce a research design that is philosophically congruent. However, phenomenology has a long and complex history of development, and may be difficult to understand and apply. The author draws from Heidegger (1962), Gadamer (2004), and nurse scholars and methodologists. To give the reader a sense of the development of the philosophy of phenomenology, the author briefly recounts its historical origins and interpretations, specifically related to Husserl, Heidegger and Gadamer. The author outlines the ontological and epistemological assumptions of Husserlian and Heideggerian phenomenology and guidance for methodology inspired by these philosophers. Difficulties with engaging in phenomenological research are addressed, especially the processes of phenomenological reduction and bracketing, and the lack of clarity about the methods of interpretation. Despite its complexity, phenomenology can provide the nurse researcher with indepth insight into nursing practice. An understanding of phenomenology can guide nurse researchers to produce results that have meaning in nursing patient care.

  2. A hermeneutic framework for psychopathology.

    PubMed

    Stanghellini, Giovanni

    2010-01-01

    After briefly reviewing the scope and limitations of descriptive and clinical psychopathology, this paper focuses on the method and intention of structural psychopathology. Structural psychopathology goes beyond the description of isolated symptoms and the use of some of those symptoms to establish a diagnosis. It aims to understand the meaning of a given world of experiences and actions grasping the underlying characteristic modification that keeps the symptoms meaningfully interconnected. Building on and expanding some basic phenomenological and hermeneutical principles, and applying them to the study of abnormal human subjectivity, this paper suggests the methodological guidelines for a structurally informed psychopathological interview. Copyright 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  3. The joy at birth: an interpretive hermeneutic literature review.

    PubMed

    Crowther, Susan; Smythe, Elizabeth; Spence, Deb

    2014-04-01

    this literature review examines the experience of joy at birth and what that joy means. The premise is that the whole of the birthing experience has not been fully explicated in the literature and that something of significance remains unexplored and unspoken. It is argued that a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to reviewing literature provides unique insights and leads to deeper understandings about birth and the experience of joy that attunes at that moment. the philosophical underpinnings informed by Heidegger and Gadamer are central to this review and therefore the process of reviewing literature hermeneutically is described. Heideggerian phenomenology is used as the method to ask the questions of the literature in order that concealed and hidden experiences of joy at birth are made visible where they are gleaned from the literature. A hermeneutic lens is used to uncover relationships within the phenomenon of joy at birth and meaning. although a vast birth literature was reviewed joy at birth was often ignored, hidden or covered over. Reviewing the literature on relationships, professional presence, place of birth, birth satisfaction studies and birth as peak and spiritual experience provides glimpses of the phenomenon 'joy at birth'. it is argued that joy at birth remains largely neglected as a phenomenon worthy of consideration. Plausible interpretations are presented that suggest that joy at birth points to something significant and meaningful. Spiritual and sacred meaning is alluded to in the papers reviewed yet the majority of papers that investigate birth leave this meaning unspoken. The review highlights a need for further thinking and questioning about birth that would direct on-going investigation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Researching the Individual in Workplace Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Loftus, Stephen; Higgs, Joy

    2010-01-01

    Researching how people are educated for practice has often been seen as problematic. We recommend qualitative approaches that draw on hermeneutic phenomenology and narrative inquiry. It is our intention to outline approaches that we believe can be used in an emerging research agenda. We begin by examining assumptions underlying much workplace…

  5. Hermeneutical Field Theory and the Structural Character of Understanding.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Whitehouse, William Leonard

    Through a series of exploratory case studies focusing on hermeneutics, phenomenology, relativity, field theory, quantum mechanics, chronobiology, chaos theory, holographic theory and various aspects of mathematics, a set of hermeneutical constraints and degrees of freedom are generated. There are a set of eight field equations given in the thesis which give qualitative symbolic expression to the aforementioned spectrum of constraints and degrees of freedom that constitute the structural character of understanding. However, as is sometimes the case with their quantitative mathematical counterparts, the hermeneutical field equations are capable of giving a variety of descriptions or solutions for one and the same set of conditions. The task, therefore, is to try to sort out those solutions which have reflective properties with respect to the structural character of reality from those which do not have such properties. The thesis addresses this task by introducing the idea of hermeneutical field theory. In this theory the notion of a semiotic operator or semiotic quantum plays a central role. More specifically, this quantum is considered to be the carrier of hermeneutical force. It arises as a field property at the complex, horizontal membrane-manifold linking human consciousness with different levels of scale of reality. When taken collectively, the aforementioned set of equations gives expression to the structural character of hermeneutical field theory. Therefore, when one begins to run concrete variables through the theory underlying these equations, one encounters various kinds of hermeneutical constraints and degrees of freedom. These constraints and degrees of freedom characterize the dialectical engagement of consciousness and reality as one seeks to acquire understanding concerning the above mentioned variables and the context which gives rise to them. Hermeneutical field theory is really the study of the factors that affect the state of the six internal

  6. Student nurses' experiences of caring for infectious patients in source isolation. A hermeneutic phenomenological study.

    PubMed

    Cassidy, Irene

    2006-10-01

    To illuminate issues central to general student nurses' experiences of caring for isolated patients within the hospital environment, which may assist facilitators of learning to prepare students for caring roles. Because of the development of hospital-resistant micro-organisms, caring for patients in source isolation is a frequent occurrence for supernumerary students on the general nursing programme. Despite this, students' perceptions of caring for this client group remain under researched. Through methods grounded in hermeneutic phenomenology, eight students in the second year of the three-year undergraduate programme in general nursing were interviewed using an un-structured, open-ended and face-to-face interview approach. Data analysis was approached through thematic analysis. Four themes emerged: The organization: caring in context, Barriers and breaking the barriers, Theory and practice, Only a student. The imposed physical, psychological, social and emotional barriers of isolation dramatically alter the caring experience. Balancing the care of isolated patients to meet their individual needs while preventing the spread of infection has significance for students. Applying infection control theory to the care of patients in source isolation is vital for students' personal and professional development. Perceptions of supernumerary status influence students' experiences of caring for these patients. Designating equipment for the sole use of isolated patients assists students in maintaining infection control standards. Balancing the art and science of caring for patients in source isolation is important to reduce barriers to the student-patient relationship and to promote delivery of holistic care. Staff nurses should consider using available opportunities to impart recommended isolation practices to students thereby linking the theory of infection control to patient care. Providing structured, continuing education for all grades of staff would acknowledge the

  7. A hermeneutic phenomenological study of Belgian midwives' views on ideal and actual maternity care.

    PubMed

    Van Kelst, Liesbeth; Spitz, Bernard; Sermeus, Walter; Thomson, Ann M

    2013-01-01

    to explore midwives' views on ideal and actual maternity care. a qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study based on the method of van Manen (1997) using individual in-depth interviews to gather data. Flanders, Belgium. 12 purposively sampled midwives, of whom nine from three different non-university hospitals and three independent midwives conducting home births. five major themes were identified: 'woman-centred care', 'cultural change', 'support', 'midwife and obstetrician as equal partners' and 'inter-collegial harmony'. In this paper 'woman-centred care', 'cultural change' and 'support' are discussed along with their subthemes. Midwives thought ideal maternity care should be woman-centred in which there were no unnecessary interventions, women were able to make an informed choice and there was continuity of care. Furthermore, ideal maternity care should be supported by midwifery education and an adequate staffing level. Also, a cultural change was wanted as actual maternity care was perceived to be highly medicalised. Barriers to achieving woman-centred care and possible strategies to overcome these were described. findings from this study were consistent with those of other studies on midwives' experience with obstetric-led care. Despite the medicalised care, midwives still held a woman-centred ideology. In order to be able to work according to their ideology, different barriers need to be addressed. Although midwives suggested strategies to overcome these barriers, some were considered to be very difficult to overcome. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Comfort as a basic need in hospitalized patients in Iran: a hermeneutic phenomenology study.

    PubMed

    Yousefi, Hojatollah; Abedi, Heidar Ali; Yarmohammadian, Mohammad Hossein; Elliott, Doug

    2009-09-01

    This paper is a report of a study conducted to explore the comfort experiences of hospitalized patients during their admission to medical-surgical wards in an Iranian hospital. Comfort has various definitions, ranging from a basic human need, to a process, function or an outcome of nursing. As comfort is a substantive need throughout life in health and illness, providing comfort is a major function and challenge for holistic nursing care. This hermeneutic phenomenological study was conducted between July 2006 and April 2007 in six medical-surgical wards of one of a university hospital in Iran. Data were generated with 22 participants (16 hospitalized patients and six nurses), using in-depth interviews to capture their detailed experiences of comfort. Analysis based on the framework of Diekelmann enabled data interpretation and elaboration of shared themes. One constitutive pattern, 'Comfort: a need of hospitalized patients' and four related themes - A friend in hospital, Relief of suffering within a calm environment, Seeking God, and Presence among family - were identified in the data. These findings offer unique insight for planning and implementing appropriate clinical practices in Iran, especially in caring for Muslim patients. Two major implications are to: (1) consider comfort criteria during nursing assessment and planning of care during a patient's hospitalization and (2) note that Shiite people in particular are more comfortable and feel better when they are able to follow their religious principles.

  9. Science Teaching as Educational Interrogation of Scientific Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ginev, Dimitri

    2013-01-01

    The main argument of this article is that science teaching based on a pedagogy of questions is to be modeled on a hermeneutic conception of scientific research as a process of the constitution of texts. This process is spelled out in terms of hermeneutic phenomenology. A text constituted by scientific practices is at once united by a hermeneutic…

  10. Individualized assessment and phenomenological psychology.

    PubMed

    Fischer, C T

    1979-04-01

    Although there is growing openness to tailoring of assessment procedures and reports to the particular client, these efforts typically have been sporadic and incomplete. This article reviews a systematic approach to individualized assessment, one whose practices are referred to as collaborative, contextual, and interventional. Clinical examples of these practices are presented in terms of their grounding in phenomenological psychology. Prior to that, themes such as intentionality, situatedness, dialectics, structuralism, and hermeneutics are introduced briefly. Phenomenological psychology as such is not seen here as necessary for all individualized practices, but it is seen as a critical touchpoint for development of theory and further practices.

  11. Hermeneutic phenomenological interpretations of patients with head and neck neoplasm experiences living with radiation-induced xerostomia: the price to pay?

    PubMed

    Charalambous, Andreas

    2014-10-01

    Patients with head and neck neoplasms often experience a number of persistent treatment related symptoms including xerostomia. The impact of xerostomia can be profound and wearing on the patients, hence negatively influencing their quality of life. The purpose of this study was to explore the in-depth experiences of the patients living with radiation-induced xerostomia. This was a hermeneutic phenomenological study inspired by the Philosophy of Paul Ricoeur. Research data were retrieved with individual narratives from 15 patients diagnosed with head and neck neoplasm that underwent radiotherapy. Interpretation proceeded through three phases: naïve reading, structural analysis and comprehensive understanding. Five themes consisting of ten sub-themes emerged from the narratives reflecting on the patients' lived experiences. The themes were "suffering of the body", "suffering of the person's world", "being helpless against xerostomia", "suffering of the mind" and "being alone". The comprehensive understanding disclosed new possibilities for being-in-the world in relation to living with xerostomia. The precedent consideration of xerostomia mainly as a physical side-effect of radiotherapy was outweighed by the social and psychological effects revealed by this study. These xerostomia's effects are inflicted on the patients with an obvious reflection on their perceived quality of life. The findings call upon a shift towards acknowledging the severity of xerostomia and the need to care for these patients holistically. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Philosophical Hermeneutics and Critical Pedagogy in Environmental Education Research and Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Iared, Valéria Ghisloti; Di Tullio, Ariane; Payne, Phillip G.; Torres de Oliveira, Haydée

    2015-01-01

    The contributions and challenges of Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics and Freire's critical pedagogy to research and practice in environmental education are considered. We present the authors' main concepts and relate them to the principles of critical environmental education that have guided our work in Brazil. Although a raft of current…

  13. Family members' lived experiences of everyday life after intensive care treatment of a loved one: a phenomenological hermeneutical study.

    PubMed

    Frivold, Gro; Slettebø, Åshild; Dale, Bjørg

    2016-02-01

    To illuminate relatives' experiences of everyday life after a loved one's stay in an intensive care unit. Relatives of intensive care patients experience considerable stress that can have a long-lasting effect on their everyday lives. Relatives frequently report anxiety, depression and complicated grief as a result of their experiences in the intensive care unit. A qualitative design was chosen. Thirteen relatives were interviewed 3 months to 1 year after the discharge or death of an intensive care unit patient. A phenomenological hermeneutical method was used to explore family members' lived experiences upon returning home after their loved ones' stay in the intensive care unit. Two themes emerged from the analysis of the data: (1) changes in everyday life and emotional reactions, and (2) managing changes and need of support and follow-up from the ICU. Family members experience changes in emotions, roles and responsibilities after returning home. They must maintain control of themselves and adapt to the changes to face the future. They cope by using their personal resources and support from others. Some are in further need of follow-up from the intensive care unit staff. Nursing education could focus increasingly more on the significance of communication and personal support, which helps family members cope during patients' stay and experience a sense of personal strength when returning home. Further research should address how to identify and support those with special needs after the intensive care unit stay. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Women's experiences of their osteoporosis diagnosis at the time of diagnosis and 6 months later: A phenomenological hermeneutic study

    PubMed Central

    Hansen, Carrinna; Konradsen, Hanne; Abrahamsen, Bo; Pedersen, Birthe D.

    2014-01-01

    This paper describes a phenomenological hermeneutic study of experiences of women who were recently diagnosed with osteoporosis. The research objective was to investigate women's experiences of living with osteoporosis during the first 6 months after diagnosis when treatment was first prescribed. Fifteen women were included in the study. The inclusion criteria were a DXA scan at one of the two hospitals showing a T-score below −2.5 (lower back or hip), age 65 years or older; no previous known osteoporotic fracture; at least one of the known risk factors for osteoporosis; and prescription of anti-osteoporotic treatment. Exclusion criteria were previous diagnosis of osteoporosis or previous treatment with anti-osteoporotic medication. Data were collected through in-depth interviews shortly after diagnosis and 6 months later. The performed analyses were inspired by Paul Ricoeur's theory of interpretation of texts comprising three levels: naïve reading, structural analysis, and critical interpretation and discussion. Three key themes emerged: 1) being diagnosed, 2) being prescribed medical treatment, and 3) being on the path of learning to live with osteoporosis. The findings suggest a need for improved support for the patients to gain understanding of their diagnosis and the risk of osteoporotic fracture as well as to learn to live with osteoporosis. The study highlights new health promotion areas for targeting interventions at newly diagnosed patients, helping them accept and interpret the diagnosis, and the medical treatment. PMID:24559545

  15. Reflection on Lived Experience in Educational Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barnacle, Robyn

    2004-01-01

    While debate about the meaning of hermeneutics and phenomenology for educational research continues, the notion of lived experience, and its application to reflective practice, has become a feature of much that goes by the name of phenomenological within this area. The prevalence of the lived experience model can be attributed in large part to the…

  16. Dimensions of Phenomenology in Exploring Patient’s Suffering in Long-Life Illnesses

    PubMed Central

    Al Kalaldeh, Mahmoud; Shosha, Ghada Abu; Saiah, Najah; Salameh, Omar

    2017-01-01

    Background: Patients’ suffering has been increasingly investigated by health-care researchers especially in the chronically ill. Suffering is viewed as a progressive negative consequence that associated with pain, impaired self-esteem, and social alienation. This qualitative evidence synthesis aimed to provide further insights into the application of phenomenology in explaining suffering among patients with chronic illnesses. Methods: Studies included in this qualitative evidence synthesis study were retrieved by searching from the following electronic databases: CINAHL, PubMed Central, and EBSCO. Findings: Phenomenology is regarded as influential to generate in-depth evidence about suffering that are grounded in chronically ill patients’ perspectives. The philosophical constructs of suffering suggested fundamental dimensions such as stress, distress, hopelessness, and depression along with pain. Evidence encompasses the entire manifestation of suffering in which all interrelated meanings are understood and referred to a unique structure. Hermeneutic phenomenology was adopted as an effective strategy to elucidate human experience leading to the discovery of the embedded meanings of life experience. Conclusion: The phenomenological approach provides nursing research with the pathway to explore patients’ suffering experiences in the chronically ill. PMID:29582010

  17. Building Bridges in a Third Space: A Phenomenological Study of the Lived Experiences of Teaching Chinese in American Chinese Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weng, Xuan; Lin, Jing

    2013-01-01

    This study explores the lived experiences of Chinese teachers in American Chinese Schools. Max van Manen's methodology for hermeneutic phenomenological research provides a framework for the study, and the philosophical writings of Heidegger, Gadamer, and Derrida guide the textual interpretations. Pedagogical voices of Aoki, Pinar, and Greene,…

  18. Choosing phenomenology as a guiding philosophy for nursing research.

    PubMed

    Matua, Gerald Amandu

    2015-03-01

    To provide an overview of important methodological considerations that nurse researchers need to adhere to when choosing phenomenology as a guiding philosophy and research method. Phenomenology is a major philosophy and research method in the humanities, human sciences and arts disciplines with a central goal of describing people's experiences. However, many nurse researchers continue to grapple with methodological issues related to their choice of phenomenological method. The author conducted online and manual searches of relevant research books and electronic databases. Using an integrative method, peer-reviewed research and discussion papers published between January 1990 and December 2011 and listed in the CINAHL, Science Direct, PubMed and Google Scholar databases were reviewed. In addition, textbooks that addressed research methodologies such as phenomenology were used. Although phenomenology is widely used today to broaden understanding of human phenomena relevant to nursing practice, nurse researchers often fail to adhere to acceptable scientific and phenomenological standards. Cognisant of these challenges, researchers are expected to indicate in their work the focus of their investigations, designs, and approaches to collecting and analysing data. They are also expected to present their findings in an evocative and expressive manner. Choosing phenomenology requires researchers to understand it as a philosophy, including basic assumptions and tenets of phenomenology as a research method. This awareness enables researchers, especially novices, to make important methodological decisions, particularly those necessary to indicate the study's scientific rigour and phenomenological validity. This paper adds to the discussion of phenomenology as a guiding philosophy for nursing research. It aims to guide new researchers on important methodological decisions they need to make to safeguard their study's scientific rigour and phenomenological validity.

  19. Using Facebook to enhance commencing student confidence in clinical skill development: A phenomenological hermeneutic study.

    PubMed

    Watson, Bernadette; Cooke, Marie; Walker, Rachel

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore commencing nursing students' experience of Facebook as an adjunct to on-campus course delivery to determine its impact as a learning strategy for improving confidence in clinical skill development. Approaches supporting nursing students in the development of clinical skills have relied on 'real-life' clinical placements and simulated on-campus clinical laboratories. However students continue to report a lack of confidence in their clinical skills for practice. Social networking sites including Facebook are being used as a learning strategy to stimulate active and collaborative learning approaches. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used to provide an understanding of the experience of confidence in clinical skills development for nursing students. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with commencing students about their experience as learners using Facebook and their perceptions of the impact on their clinical skill development. Ten first-year student nurses at one university in south-east Queensland, Australia. Four themes emerged from the data including: 'We're all in this together'; 'I can do this'; 'This is about my future goals and success'; and, 'Real time is not fast enough!'. These themes provide new meaningful insights demonstrating students' sense of confidence in clinical skills was increased through engagement with a dedicated Facebook page. The findings of this study have relevance to academics in the design of learning strategies for clinical courses to further support student confidence and engagement through peer collaboration and active learning processes. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Meanings of staying healthy in a context where others developed burnout--phenomenological-hermeneutic interpretation of healthcare personnel's narratives.

    PubMed

    Gustafsson, Gabriella; Strandberg, Gunilla

    2009-09-01

    Burnout has become a major problem in many industrialized countries, but not everyone at the same work place develops burnout. The present paper aimed to illuminate meanings of staying healthy in a context where others developed burnout as narrated by healthcare personnel. Interviews were conducted with 20 healthcare personnel and were interpreted using a phenomenological-hermeneutic method. The result shows that the meanings of staying healthy are to be rooted in an outlook on life perceiving its many-sidedness and the strengths and weaknesses of oneself and others with forbearance. One is striving to shoulder responsibility for oneself and for others and is also receptive towards the circumstances of life, striving to judge the possibilities of being and acting in order to attempt to influence things in what is believed to be the right direction. Being able to let go of injustice and look after oneself with a clear conscience is also revealed as meanings of staying healthy. In conclusion, forbearance with life's many-sidedness seems to pervade one's experiences, judgements and actions in life when dealing with one's reality, and thus, it is interpreted as essential for staying healthy in a context where others developed burnout. This study is ethically approved. © 2008 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2008 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  1. A Phenomenological Study of College Students Subjected to Cyberbullying

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McKennie, Stephanie Williams

    2017-01-01

    Currently cyberbullying is a behavior that is discussed worldwide. Within the discussion, there is a need to know about the lived experiences of college students subjected to cyberbullying. The purpose of this hermeneutic (interpretive) phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of ten college students subjected to bullying in…

  2. Beginning Counselor Educators' Experiences Developing a Research Agenda

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilde, Brandon J.

    2010-01-01

    To date, counselor education literature is narrow in the accounts of counselor educators' experiences as active scholars (Hill, 2004). Consequently, there is little research accounting for the experience of developing a research agenda for counselor educators during their initial faculty appointment. Hermeneutic, phenomenological methodology was…

  3. The influence of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome - hypermobility type, on motherhood: A phenomenological, hermeneutical study.

    PubMed

    De Baets, Stijn; Vanhalst, Marieke; Coussens, Marieke; Rombaut, Lies; Malfait, Fransiska; Van Hove, Geert; Calders, Patrick; Vanderstraeten, Guy; van de Velde, Dominique

    2017-01-01

    The consequences of the Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome hypermobility type (EDS-HT) affect many aspects of daily life. "Living with limitations" is a central theme in the life of patients affected by this heritable disorder of connective tissue. The aim of the present study was to explore the lived experiences of women with EDS-HT concerning diagnosis, influence on daily life and becoming and being a mother. A phenomenological-hermeneutical study, using in-depth interviews. Patients were selected by a purposive sampling strategy. This study shows that the EDS-HT syndrome affects daily life. Ten woman between 31 and 65 years were interviewed. They have between 2 and 5 children. The data analysis results in six themes. (1) Getting a diagnosis is a relief and supports the choice to become a mother; (2) EDS-HT causes emotional distress, imposes a physical burden and has a major impact on social behavior; (3) EDS-HT demands a restructuring of everyday activities; (4) Children's and mothers' expectations do not correspond; (5) Having a supportive social and physical environment is of major importance; (6) The presence of the child reduces the feeling of illness of the mother. The diagnosis of EDS-HT is a catalysing factor in the choice of whether or not to become a mother. EDS-HT has a huge impact on bodily functions, which in turn influences activities and participation. This study gives insight in the activities of daily life of persons with EDS-HT. Health care professionals can be of great importance to help patients in (re)organizing their lives according to the available energy and in supporting their choices. They can help defining goals and setting priorities in daily life. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Hermeneutics of medicine in the wake of Gadamer: the issue of phronesis.

    PubMed

    Svenaeus, Fredrik

    2003-01-01

    The relevance of the Aristotelian concept of phronesis--practical wisdom--for medicine and medical ethics has been much debated during the last two decades. This paper attempts to show how Aristotle's practical philosophy was of central importance to Hans-Georg Gadamer and to the development of his philosophical hermeneutics, and how, accordingly, the concept of phronesis will be central to a Gadamerian hermeneutics of medicine. If medical practice is conceived of as an interpretative meeting between doctor and patient with the aim of restoring the health of the latter, then phronesis is the mark of the good physician, who through interpretation comes to know the best thing to do for this particular patient at this particular time. The potential fruitfulness of this hermeneutical appropriation of phronesis for the field of medical ethics is also discussed. The concept can be (and has been) used in critiques of the conceptualization of bioethics as the application of principle-based theory to clinical situations, since Aristotle's point is exactly that problems of praxis cannot be approached in this way. It can also point the way for alternative forms of medical ethics, such as virtue ethics or a phenomenological and hermeneutical ethics. The latter alternative would have to address the phenomena of health and the good life as issues for medical practice. It would also have to map out in detail the terrain of the medical meeting and the acts of interpretation through which phronesis is exercised.

  5. The use of phenomenology in mental health nursing research.

    PubMed

    Picton, Caroline Jane; Moxham, Lorna; Patterson, Christopher

    2017-12-18

    Historically, mental health research has been strongly influenced by the underlying positivism of the quantitative paradigm. Quantitative research dominates scientific enquiry and contributes significantly to understanding our natural world. It has also greatly benefitted the medical model of healthcare. However, the more literary, silent, qualitative approach is gaining prominence in human sciences research, particularly mental healthcare research. To examine the qualitative methodological assumptions of phenomenology to illustrate the benefits to mental health research of studying the experiences of people with mental illness. Phenomenology is well positioned to ask how people with mental illness reflect on their experiences. Phenomenological research is congruent with the principles of contemporary mental healthcare, as person-centred care is favoured at all levels of mental healthcare, treatment, service and research. Phenomenology is a highly appropriate and suitable methodology for mental health research, given it includes people's experiences and enables silent voices to be heard. This overview of the development of phenomenology informs researchers new to phenomenological enquiry. ©2017 RCN Publishing Company Ltd. All rights reserved. Not to be copied, transmitted or recorded in any way, in whole or part, without prior permission of the publishers.

  6. Investigating the Oral History Interview as Hermeneutic Conversation: A Critical Appraisal of Research Directions.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Mary John

    In response to a paper by E. Culpepper Clark, Eva M. McMahan, and Michael J. Hyde that calls for the application of hermeneutic theory to the study of the oral history interview, this paper notes problems in the relationships between the proposed research design and the conceptual framework for the proposed research. While conceding that the…

  7. "Stain in life": The meaning of urinary incontinence in the context of Muslim postmenopausal women through hermeneutic phenomenology.

    PubMed

    Hamid, Tengku Aizan; Pakgohar, Minoo; Ibrahim, Rahimah; Dastjerdi, Marzieh Vahid

    2015-01-01

    UI is a worldwide chronic condition among postmenopausal women. Little is known about the meaning of lived experiences of urinary incontinence of these women's viewpoints in their context. The aim of this study was to illuminate the experience of Muslim community-dwelling postmenopausal women who were living with urinary incontinence (UI). Seventeen women with UI (range: 52-68 years) who had experienced it for more than ten years were interviewed. A phenomenological hermeneutic method was used to analyze and interpret the interview texts. The women's experiences of living with urinary incontinence have been presented in terms of three main themes: disruption of normal functioning, self-imposed restriction, and feelings of despair. Disruption of normal functioning meant emotional, spiritual, physical, and daily life disruption. Self-imposed restriction meant suppression of delights and needs and avoidance of social interactions. Feelings of despair referred to predictions of a bad and dark future of living with urinary incontinence, ambiguity, and hopelessness. The meaning of living with UI has been considered a 'stain in life'. Health care providers should be familiar with the different manifestations of urinary incontinence for early diagnosis and prevention of the negative effects of this condition to improve quality of life. In addition, symbolic interactionism theory can help health care providers to understand the meaning of urinary incontinence for women. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Walking on the edge: meanings of living in an ageing body and using a walker in everyday life - a phenomenological hermeneutic study.

    PubMed

    Brännström, Helene; Bäckman, Margit; Santamäki Fischer, Regina

    2013-05-01

    In order to maintain one's state of health whilst growing older, the ability to walk is essential. The aim of this study was to illuminate the meanings of the lived experience of living in an ageing body and using a walker in daily life. Narrative interviews were performed with seven older persons aged 79-95 years. The transcribed text was analysed using a phenomenological hermeneutic method. The key finding of the study was that the lived experience of living in an ageing body and using a walker in daily life was interpreted as 'walking on the edge' based on the themes 'Being vulnerable and dependent' and 'Being confident and independent'. The results highlight the importance of reflecting on this phenomenon as a health care professional while meeting the care needs of older persons who use walkers. Nurses need to consider the walker as a personal and valued possession of the individual and handle the walker in agreement with the older person, placing the walker close at hand with the brakes locked to give secure support. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  9. Fusing Horizons -- A Grammatical Design Approach for the Arts and Humanities: Using Rules, Contingency and Hermeneutics in Design Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bruton, Dean

    2007-01-01

    This article argues that grammatical thinking within a framework of phenomenological hermeneutics assists designing and may properly be used as a fundamental teaching approach for an interdisciplinary art and design studio. Furthermore, it argues that the theme of grammatical design awareness could be considered as a generic issue across all…

  10. Lived Experience of Women Suffering from Vitiligo: A Phenomenological Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Borimnejad, Leili; Yekta, Zohreh Parsa; Nasrabadi, Alireza Nikbakht

    2006-01-01

    Vitiligo is a chronic skin disease, which through change of appearance and body image, exerts a devastating effect on people, especially women. The objective of this study is to explore lived experience of women with Vitiligo by the hermeneutic phenomenology method. The purposive sample consisted of 16 Iranian women. Data analysis followed…

  11. Researching Participation in Adult Education: The Potential of the Qualitative Perspective.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rockhill, Kathleen

    1982-01-01

    Critiques research on participation in terms of problems of measurement, definition, and the use of value-laden contructs. Compares qualitative and quantitative methods, further developing the qualitative approach and the influence of hermeneutics and phenomenology. (Author/SK)

  12. Supporting those who work and learn: A phenomenological research study.

    PubMed

    Thurgate, Claire

    2018-02-01

    With a shift in the United Kingdom's National Health Service to organisational learning and the local introduction of the Assistant Practitioner role to support the nursing workforce there was a broad need to understand the lived experiences of those who work and learn. Hermeneutic phenomenology was the chosen methodology. A purposive sample of eight trainee assistant practitioners, four matrons, seven mentors and the practice development nurse participated in conversational interviews at intermittent points in the journey. A stepped process of analysis produced three over-arching super-ordinate themes which indicated that the transition to assistant practitioner is non-linear and complex necessitating a change in knowledge and behaviour and the workplace culture must enable learning and role development. This paper focuses on supporting the journey which encompassed learning at university and learning in the workplace. Participants' stories demonstrated the presence of knowledgeable mentors and a learning culture enabled new roles to be supported. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Understanding Mathematics Classroom Teaching: Hermeneutics Inquiry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Xiong

    2015-01-01

    In order to understand meaning of mathematics classroom teaching, this paper uses narrative to present the meaning through hermeneutics inquiry from the author's research experiences. There are two threads in the research experience: research on classroom teaching and students' understanding in classroom teaching. The narrative provides not only a…

  14. Using Phenomenology to Conduct Environmental Education Research: Experience and Issues

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nazir, Joanne

    2016-01-01

    Recently, I applied a phenomenological methodology to study environmental education at an outdoor education center. In this article, I reflect on my experience of doing phenomenological research to highlight issues researchers may want to consider in using this type of methodology. The main premise of the article is that phenomenology, with its…

  15. Perceptions of Southern Culture and Writing Program Effectiveness at a Community College: A Phenomenology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fetters, Mary Allison

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to develop a deeper understanding of the perceptions of students, faculty, administration, and visiting Southern authors of the effectiveness of Chattanooga State Community College's Writers Work program for encouraging composition student writing and learning about Southern culture.…

  16. Racial Ethnic Health Disparities: A Phenomenological Exploration of African American with Diabetes Complications

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Okombo, Florence A.

    2017-01-01

    Racial/ethnic minority groups experience a higher mortality rate, a lower life expectancy, and worse mental health outcomes than non-Hispanic in the United States. There is a scarcity of qualitative studies on racial/ethnic health disparities. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the personal experiences,…

  17. Family members' experiences of being cared for by nurses and physicians in Norwegian intensive care units: a phenomenological hermeneutical study.

    PubMed

    Frivold, Gro; Dale, Bjørg; Slettebø, Åshild

    2015-08-01

    When patients are admitted to intensive care units, families are affected. This study aimed to illuminate the meaning of being taken care of by nurses and physicians for relatives in Norwegian intensive care units. Thirteen relatives of critically ill patients treated in intensive care units in southern Norway were interviewed in autumn 2013. Interview data were analysed using a phenomenological hermeneutical method inspired by the philosopher Paul Ricoeur. Two main themes emerged: being in a receiving role and being in a participating role. The receiving role implies experiences of informational and supportive care from nurses and physicians. The participating role implies relatives' experiences of feeling included and being able to participate in caring activities and decision-making processes. The meaning of being a relative in ICU is experienced as being in a receiving role, and at the same time as being in a participating role. Quality in relations is described as crucial when relatives share their experiences of care by nurses and physicians in the ICU. Those who experienced informational and supportive care, and who had the ability to participate, expressed feelings of gratitude and confidence in the healthcare system. In contrast, those who did not experience such care, especially in terms of informational care expressed feelings of frustration, confusion and loss of confidence. However, patient treatment and care outweighed relatives' own feelings. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. A critique of Bernstein's beyond objectivism and relativism: science, hermeneutics, and praxis.

    PubMed

    Matusitz, Jonathan; Kramer, Eric

    2011-06-01

    This analysis comments on Bernstein's lack of clear understanding of subjectivity, based on his book, Beyond Objectivism and Relativism: Science, Hermeneutics, and Praxis. Bernstein limits his interpretation of subjectivity to thinkers such as Gadamer and Habermas. The authors analyze the ideas of classic scholars such as Edmund Husserl and Friedrich Nietzsche. Husserl put forward his notion of transcendental subjectivity and phenomenological ramifications of the relationship between subjectivity and objectivity. Nietzsche referred to subjectivity as "perspectivism," the inescapable fact that any and all consciousnesses exist in space and time. Consciousness is fundamentally constituted of cultural, linguistic, and historical dimensions.

  19. "I'm not sure I'm a nurse": A hermeneutic phenomenological study of nursing home nurses' work identity.

    PubMed

    Thompson, Juliana; Cook, Glenda; Duschinsky, Robbie

    2018-03-01

    To explore nursing home nurses' experiences and views of work identity. Nursing home nurses are in a unique position as they work at the interface of health and social care. Little is known about nursing home nurses' perceptions and experiences of working within this context. Evidence suggests that using the concept of work identity can support understanding of how workers make sense of their work. Hermeneutic phenomenological study. The study was carried out in seven nursing homes in North East England. Findings are based upon literary analysis of multiple episodic interviews with 13 nursing home nurses. Participants' responses suggested that nursing "residents" is different to nursing "patients," and nursing home nurses are required to modify their care activities to account for these differences. Participants also proposed that they are isolated and excluded from the rest of the healthcare workforce group. These issues led participants to feel uncertain about work identity. Many participants attempted to strengthen their work identity by aligning their role with what they perceived the "nurse identity" to be. Nurses' work activities and professional group identity influence their work identity. When work activities and professional group identity do not align with role expectations, as can be the case for nursing home nurses, work identity may be compromised. These nurses may attempt to change work practices to strengthen their work identity. Health- and social care providers need to account for work identity factors in the organisation of care, and planning and implementation of integrated health- and social care initiatives. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Stacking the Odds: A Phenomenological Study of Non-Problem Gambling in Later Life

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hagen, Brad; Nixon, Gary; Solowoniuk, Jason

    2005-01-01

    The purpose of this exploratory, phenomenological-hermeneutic study was to explore the experience of non-problem gambling by older adults. Twelve older gamblers were identified as non-problem gamblers using two gambling screens and participated in in-depth interviews about their experience of gambling. Two major themes emerged from the interviews:…

  1. Evaluating Children's Use of Symbol in Some Recent Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moriarty, M. Wyn

    2009-01-01

    This paper explores a number of examples of what appeared to be recurring symbolic expressions of spirituality found in my recent research into the spiritual experiences of children in Victorian State primary schools. These expressions appeared in drawings and in conversation. In this paper I use hermeneutic phenomenology and a multidisciplinary…

  2. 'Then I just showed her my arms . . .' Bodily sensations in moments of alienation related to self-injurious behaviour. A hermeneutic phenomenological study.

    PubMed

    Schoppmann, S; Schröck, R; Schnepp, W; Büscher, A

    2007-09-01

    People committing self-injurious behaviour are often perceived as difficult patients; confronted with unhelpful reactions from nurses, the patients find themselves left alone in their distress. A connection between self-injurious behaviour and feelings of alienation is suggested in the literature. Alienation is described as a state in which the self is perceived as strange, machinelike and not in contact with its emotional and physical needs. On one hand, complex neuro-biological processes are seen as responsible for this; on the other hand, alienation is seen as a means of self-protection when one is exposed to a threatening or traumatic situation. Nursing interventions focus on the nurse-patient relationship and on the handling of self-injuries, but they tend to ignore the client's previous experience. Proceeding from the assumption that patients committing self-injurious behaviour are the experts on their own harm, the purpose of the present study is to get insight into their 'lived experience' and to contribute to the understanding of this vulnerable group. Adopting a hermeneutic phenomenological research perspective, methods of participant observation and qualitative interviewing were chosen to generate data. The database consists of 99 observational sequences, five interviews and a set of email texts written by a self-injuring woman. A thematic analysis as described by Van Manen was done. The main findings are that alienation is experienced in several stages, that nurses can detect early signs of an impending loss of control, and that self-injurious behaviour is an effective strategy to end a painful experience of alienation. Self-injurious behaviour is appropriately understood as a form of 'self-care'.

  3. Paradox of Modern Pregnancy: A Phenomenological Study of Women's Lived Experiences from Assisted Pregnancy

    PubMed Central

    Ranjbar, Fahimeh; Akhondi, Mohammad-Mehdi; Borimnejad, Leili; Ghaffari, Saeed-Reza; Behboodi-Moghadam, Zahra

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of our study was describing the meaning of pregnancy through Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs). A qualitative design with hermeneutic phenomenology approach was selected to carry out the research. Semistructured in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 women who experienced assisted pregnancy. Three themes emerged from women's experience including finding peace in life, paradoxical feelings, and struggling to realize a dream. We concluded that pregnancy is the beginning of a new and hard struggle for women with fertility problems. The findings of our study resulted in helpful implications for the health care professionals managing assisted pregnancies. PMID:26064687

  4. The theoretical root of Karl Jaspers’ General Psychopathology. Part 1: Reconsidering the influence of phenomenology and hermeneutics

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    The present paper investigates the methodology involved in Jaspers’ psychopathology and compares it with Husserl’s phenomenology and with Dilthey’s cultural science. Allgemeine Psychopathologie and other methodological works by Jaspers, the works of Husserl and Dilthey that Jaspers cited, and previous research papers on Jaspers are reviewed. Jaspers had conflicting views on understanding, which were comprised of both empathic understanding and rational, ideal-typical understanding. Such a standpoint on understanding is considerably different from Dilthey’s. Additionally, the present paper reconfirms that Jaspers’ ‘phenomenology’ as a form of descriptive psychology for the understanding of empirical psychic states is different from Husserl’s phenomenology. Thus, this paper casts doubt on the common opinion that Jaspers was under the profound influence of Husserl or Dilthey. PMID:24573260

  5. Dealing with existential anxiety in exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation: a phenomenological-hermeneutic study of patients' lived experiences.

    PubMed

    Simonÿ, Charlotte P; Pedersen, Birthe D; Dreyer, Pia; Birkelund, Regner

    2015-09-01

    To investigate patients' lived experiences of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation. Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation is used to enable patients with cardiac problems to move forward to lead satisfying lives. However, knowledge of patients' concerns while they follow the current programmes is sparse. This study, which included nine men and two women with unstable angina pectoris and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction, used a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach. The patients were followed by field observations during exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation. Focus group interviews were conducted at the programme end, and individual interviews were performed one to two months later. The interpretation comprised three methodological steps: naïve reading, structural analysis, and comprehensive interpretation and discussion. Although both physically and psychologically challenged, the patients were encouraged to maintain an active lifestyle. Three themes were identified: anxiety regarding exercise, whereby the patients are initially insecure about how to behave with their diseased hearts; encouragement from training together, whereby the patients support each other in exercising; and growing confidence in the heart, whereby the patients enjoy being physically active. In exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation, patients' insecurity with respect to their heart disease is revealed as an existential anxiety. Through peer support and a positive physical perception, the patients gain renewed self-efficacy, helping them to continue their lives in an active and satisfying way. Knowing that patients are confronted with an existential anxiety during exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation is important because it requires specific care. Recognising this anxiety also highlights how participating in the programme can be very demanding, which can help us understand aspects of adherence problems. Of greatest importance is that exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation enables

  6. A Hermeneutic Reading into "What Strategy Is": Ambiguous Means-End Relationship

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bakir, Ali; Todorovic, Milan

    2010-01-01

    Given the underutilization of hermeneutic research in organizations and the recognition that we do not know what strategy is, we undertake a hermeneutic reading of authorial texts to develop a robust understanding of strategy. We enter into a self-reflexive dialogue with the text to accomplish a fusion of horizons where we hope to turn our…

  7. Experiences of Students with Specific Learning Disorder (Including ADHD) in Online College Degree Programs: A Phenomenological Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bunch, Seleta LeAnn

    2016-01-01

    Enrollment in online degree programs is rapidly expanding due to the convenience and affordability offered to students and improvements in technology. The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to understand the shared experiences of students with documented specific learning disorders (including Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity…

  8. Impact of critical illness news on the family: hermeneutic phenomenological study.

    PubMed

    Mendes, Anabela Pereira

    2018-01-01

    Understand the impact of critical-illness news on the experience of family members at an Intensive Care Unit. Phenomenological approach according to Van Manen's method. Open interviews were held with 21 family members. From analysis and interpretation of the data, three essential themes were identified: the unexpected; the pronouncement of death; and the impact on self-caring within the family. The study complied with the ethical principles inherent to research involving humans. The unexpected news and death of the sick person influence the well-being and self-care of family members, affecting their ability for analysis and decision making. It was observed that the family experiences the news with suffering, mainly due to the anticipation arising from the events. The humanity of nurses was revealed in response to the needs of the family. In view of the requirements for information, it was verified that the information transmitted allowed them to become aware of themselves, to become empowered in their daily lives and to alleviate the emotional burden experienced.

  9. Using Hermeneutics to Understand Burnout and Coping Strategies Utilized by Occupational Therapists

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gupta, Sangeeta; Paterson, Margo; von Zweck, Claudia; Lysaght, Rosemary

    2012-01-01

    This research article explores the use of the hermeneutic approach in understanding practice challenges for occupational therapists in the contemporary health care arena. It provides insights into factors that lead to therapist burnout and the strategies they utilize to maintain competent practice. In this mixed methods study, hermeneutics was…

  10. Building the Professional Identity of Research Assistants: A Phenomenological Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Büyükgöze, Hilal; Gün, Feyza

    2017-01-01

    This research aims to investigate the determining factors in how research assistants build their professional identity. In the study, which is a qualitative research method patterned on phenomenology, data was collected using a semi-structured interview form. Structured interviews were conducted with seven research assistants selected from a…

  11. On "being inspired" by Husserl's Phenomenology: reflections on Omery's exposition of phenomenology as a method of nursing research.

    PubMed

    Porter, E J

    1998-09-01

    The impact of Omery's article, "Phenomenology: A Method for Nursing Research," on nursing science is appraised. In particular, the influence of her emphasis on "being inspired" was compared with that of her detailed reviews of psychological phenomenologic methods. The author's experience of "being inspired" by Husserl's book, Ideas, is described. The author also discusses the tapping of this resource during three phases of her development as a researcher: (1) appraising methods derived from Husserl's phenomenology; (2) spelling out an approach, with help; and (3) "making clearer while glancing-toward." Omery's proposed linkage between philosophic inspiration and methodologic development is highlighted as a challenge to nurse researchers.

  12. Stepping out of the shadows of Alzheimer's disease: a phenomenological hermeneutic study of older people with Alzheimer's disease caring for a therapy dog.

    PubMed

    Swall, Anna; Ebbeskog, Britt; Lundh Hagelin, Carina; Fagerberg, Ingegerd

    2017-12-01

    Living with Alzheimer's disease (AD) can involve a person being unable to recall and convey information in daily life. There are several ways to provide person-centred care to older people with AD, e.g. by empowering them in a situation. The use of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) with a therapy dog in the care of people with dementia is increasing, with the presence of a therapy dog being described as improving, among other things, the well-being and socialization of the person. The aim of this study was to illuminate meanings of care for people with AD in their encounters with a therapy dog. The study used video-recorded observations of the person with AD and the dog. Data were transcribed and analysed using a phenomenological hermeneutic method. The main theme was "Using one's own resources and abilities as a human being", which meant being the person one can be and distancing oneself from the symptoms of AD during the time with the dog. The feelings evoked in the people with AD included empathy and altruism, which allowed for a sense of joy and tenderness, which may induce a sense of self-worth, of being needed, and of being meaningful.

  13. Aspects of care culture in municipal care for elderly people: a hermeneutic documentary analysis of reports of abuse.

    PubMed

    Rytterström, Patrik; Arman, Maria; Unosson, Mitra

    2013-06-01

    Care culture is an important contextual factor in care practice. Care culture refers to a process of creating meaning out of tradition, horizon and bildung. The care culture is often taken into consideration in situations that go beyond the everyday routine, such as cases of abuse. In Sweden, health care professionals are obliged to document and report any suspected bad conditions. Although the reports have the potential to communicate underlying values and assumptions about the care culture, such studies have not been performed. The aim of this study was to understand how elderly care abuse in institutions could be understood from a care culture perspective. A hermeneutic documentary analysis was conducted on 269 incident reports concerning suspected mistreatment of the elderly in three municipalities in Sweden. The hermeneutic analysis followed a four-stage process: selecting and reading the text, setting out the context, closing the hermeneutic circle, and finally creating a conceptual bridge towards a critical understanding from a phenomenological lifeworld perspective.   The care of the elderly in the municipality was based on a social culture that placed residents' needs at the centre. Following routines were considered important in preventing mistreatment and were intended to ensure that all patients were treated fairly and equally. Care was described as task oriented and often lacking in interpersonal relations. From a phenomenological lifeworld perspective, it was interpreted that in the municipalities' care of the elderly, there was a focus on elderly people's freedom at the expense of the vulnerability aspects of well-being. Raising awareness of the care culture underlying abuse could help to improve understanding of care practice. Change may be only possible when reflected on the existing perspectives underpinning the care culture, and integrate them into a broader framework for caring. © 2012 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  14. Phenomenological investigation of despair in depression.

    PubMed

    Bürgy, Martin

    2008-01-01

    In current psychopathological literature, the concept of despair is almost redundant. At most, the term is applied in a behavioral biological context as a synonym for helplessness and hopelessness. In light of the fact that the subjective experience of despair is neglected, the present paper adopts a phenomenological approach. The selection and hermeneutic investigation of philosophical concepts serve as tools for an initial delineation of the core structure of despair. On the basis of a growing deviation between desire and reality, target and actual status, an alternating development is initiated which increasingly constricts and leads to hopelessness and suicide. This phenomenological core structure is identified from a number of integral characteristics of depression and further developed. Despair, thus, becomes a psychopathological key term through which access can be gained to the subjective experience of the depressive individual and which can provide the basis for promoting understanding and communication as well as developing successful therapeutic interventions.

  15. Planetary Bootstrap: A Prelude to Biosphere Phenomenology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kazansky, Alexander B.

    2004-08-01

    This paper deals with systemic status as well as with some phenomenological and evolutionary aspects of biosphere. Biosphere is represented as multilevel autopoietic system in which different organizational levels are nested into each other. The conceptual model of punctuated epigenesis, biosphere evolutionary process is suggested, in which endogenous planetary organizational crises play role of evolutionary mechanism, creating novelty. The hypothesis is proposed, that the biosphere reaction on the humankind destructive activity reminds the distributed immune response of biological organism, described by F.Varela in his "cognitive immunology". The biosphere evolution is interpreted as the hermeneutical spiral of "Process Being" self-uncovering thus illustrating the historical process of transformation of biosphere as the type of Being in the periods of crises. Some arguments are adduced in favor of biosphere phenomenology development and application of the methods of second-order cybernetics to actual problems of planetary scale.

  16. Parents' experiences with neonatal home care following initial care in the neonatal intensive care unit: a phenomenological hermeneutical interview study.

    PubMed

    Dellenmark-Blom, Michaela; Wigert, Helena

    2014-03-01

    A descriptive study of parents' experiences with neonatal home care following initial care in the neonatal intensive care unit. As survival rates improve among premature and critically ill infants with an increased risk of morbidity, parents' responsibilities for neonatal care grow in scope and degree under the banner of family-centred care. Concurrent with medical advances, new questions arise about the role of parents and the experience of being provided neonatal care at home. An interview study with a phenomenological hermeneutic approach. Parents from a Swedish neonatal (n = 22) home care setting were extensively interviewed within one year of discharge. Data were collected during 2011-2012. The main theme of the findings is that parents experience neonatal home care as an inner emotional journey, from having a child to being a parent. This finding derives from three themes: the parents' experience of leaving the hospital milieu in favour of establishing independent parenthood, maturing as a parent and processing experiences during the period of neonatal intensive care. This study suggests that neonatal home care is experienced as a care structure adjusted to incorporate parents' needs following discharge from a neonatal intensive care unit. Neonatal home care appears to bridge the gap between hospital and home, supporting the family's adaptation to life in the home setting. Parents become empowered to be primary caregivers, having nurse consultants serving the needs of the whole family. Neonatal home care may therefore be understood as the implementation of family-centred care during the transition from NICU to home. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Distance Education Examination Management in a Lowly Resourced North-Eastern Region of Zambia: a Phenomenological Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Simui, Francis; Chibale, Henry; Namangala, Boniface

    2017-01-01

    This paper focuses on the management of distance education examination in a lowly resourced North-Eastern region of Zambia. The study applies Hermeneutic Phenomenology approach to generate and make sense of the data. It is the lived experiences of 2 invigilators and 66 students purposively selected that the study draws its insights from. Meaning…

  18. Enhancing the hermeneutic single-case efficacy design: Bridging the research-practice gap.

    PubMed

    Wall, Jessie M; Kwee, Janelle L; Hu, Monica; McDonald, Marvin J

    2017-09-01

    Systematic case study designs are emerging as alternative paradigm strategies for psychotherapy and social science research. Through enhanced sensitivity to context, these designs examine idiographic profiles of causal processes. We specifically advocate the use of the hermeneutic single-case efficacy design (HSCED). HSCED has recently been used to investigate the efficacy of an existing therapy with a new population (Observed and Experiential Integration for athlete performance barriers) and an emerging therapy (Lifespan Integration Therapy). We describe innovations in HSCED that were implemented for these studies. These developments include (a) integrating psychotherapists as case developers, (b) incorporating multiple cases in one investigation, and (c) tailoring the repertoire of assessment tools. These extensions strategically incorporated principles of contextual paradigms in HSCED, thus complementing single-case designs that neglect idiographic contexts. We discuss recommendations for using HSCED in practice-based research, highlighting its potential as a bridge to address the research-practice gap.

  19. Distinguishing Features and Similarities Between Descriptive Phenomenological and Qualitative Description Research.

    PubMed

    Willis, Danny G; Sullivan-Bolyai, Susan; Knafl, Kathleen; Cohen, Marlene Z

    2016-09-01

    Scholars who research phenomena of concern to the discipline of nursing are challenged with making wise choices about different qualitative research approaches. Ultimately, they want to choose an approach that is best suited to answer their research questions. Such choices are predicated on having made distinctions between qualitative methodology, methods, and analytic frames. In this article, we distinguish two qualitative research approaches widely used for descriptive studies: descriptive phenomenological and qualitative description. Providing a clear basis that highlights the distinguishing features and similarities between descriptive phenomenological and qualitative description research will help students and researchers make more informed choices in deciding upon the most appropriate methodology in qualitative research. We orient the reader to distinguishing features and similarities associated with each approach and the kinds of research questions descriptive phenomenological and qualitative description research address. © The Author(s) 2016.

  20. Credible Phenomenological Research: A Mixed-Methods Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Flynn, Stephen V.; Korcuska, James S.

    2018-01-01

    The authors conducted a 3-phase investigation into the credible standards for phenomenological research practices identified in the literature and endorsed by a sample of counselor education qualitative research experts. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the findings offer evidence that professional counseling has a distinctive format in which…

  1. A Power Experience: A Phenomenological Study of Interprofessional Education.

    PubMed

    Engel, Joyce; Prentice, Dawn; Taplay, Karyn

    The purpose of this supplementary analysis of a hermeneutic phenomenological study of the experience of interprofessional collaboration for nursing and medical students was to explore the experience of power that was threaded throughout the original study. Seventeen students participated in guided, face-to-face conversations in the original study (Prentice, Engel, Taplay, & Stobbe, 2014). Through the processes of deductive analysis and inductive reasoning, 2 themes of power emerged from these research conversations: (a) complicated knowledge is power and (b) the power and silence of intimidation. These themes suggest that power and power differentials are significant factors in student interactions in interprofessional learning and have the potential to adversely affect these interactions. Students' perceptions of power need to be taken into account and addressed when planning and implementing interprofessional education events. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. A Phenomenological View of Teacher Efficacy as Experienced by Secondary Teachers Engaged in the Process of Instructional Coaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Snipes, Shaftina Fiesta

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological was to describe teacher efficacy in the lived experiences of secondary teachers actively engaged in the instructional coaching process. The theoretical framework guiding this study was Albert Bandura's (1992) social cognitive theory as it expounds upon the role efficacy plays in human agency as it…

  3. Qualitative Research Literature: A Bibliographic Essay.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Horn, Jim

    1998-01-01

    Presents selected literature that exemplifies (in theory and in practice) four methodological frameworks that have found wide application in qualitative studies: symbolic interactionism, phenomenological description, constructivist hermeneutics, and critical studies. (Author/LRW)

  4. Understanding the creative processes of phenomenological research: The life philosophy of Løgstrup.

    PubMed

    Norlyk, Annelise; Dreyer, Pia; Haahr, Anita; Martinsen, Bente

    2011-01-01

    The creative processes of understanding patients' experiences in phenomenological research are difficult to articulate. Drawing on life philosophy as represented by the Danish philosopher K.E. Løgstrup (1905-1981), this article aims to illustrate Løgstrup's thinking as a way to elaborate the creation of cognition and understanding of patients' experiences. We suggest that Løgstrup's thoughts on sensation can add new dimensions to an increased understanding of the creative process of phenomenological research, and that his thinking can be seen as an epistemological ground for these processes. We argue with Løgstrup that sense-based impressions can facilitate an flash of insight, i.e., the spontaneous, intuitive flash of an idea. Løgstrup stresses that an "flash of insight" is an important source in the creation of cognition and understanding. Relating to three empirical phenomenological studies of patients' experiences, we illustrate how the notions of impression and flash of insight can add new dimensions to increased understanding of the creative processes in phenomenological research that have previously not been discussed. We illustrate that sense-based impressions can facilitate creative flash of insights that open for understanding of patients' experiences in the research process as well as in the communication of the findings. The nature of impression and flash of insight and their relevance in the creation of cognition and understanding contributes to the sparse descriptions in the methodological phenomenological research literature of the creative processes of this research. An elaboration of the creative processes in phenomenological research can help researchers to articulate these processes. Thus, Løgstrup's life philosophy has proven to be valuable in adding new dimensions to phenomenological empirical research as well as embracing lived experience.

  5. Understanding the creative processes of phenomenological research: The life philosophy of Løgstrup

    PubMed Central

    Dreyer, Pia; Haahr, Anita; Martinsen, Bente

    2011-01-01

    The creative processes of understanding patients’ experiences in phenomenological research are difficult to articulate. Drawing on life philosophy as represented by the Danish philosopher K.E. Løgstrup (1905–1981), this article aims to illustrate Løgstrup's thinking as a way to elaborate the creation of cognition and understanding of patients’ experiences. We suggest that Løgstrup's thoughts on sensation can add new dimensions to an increased understanding of the creative process of phenomenological research, and that his thinking can be seen as an epistemological ground for these processes. We argue with Løgstrup that sense-based impressions can facilitate an flash of insight, i.e., the spontaneous, intuitive flash of an idea. Løgstrup stresses that an “flash of insight” is an important source in the creation of cognition and understanding. Relating to three empirical phenomenological studies of patients’ experiences, we illustrate how the notions of impression and flash of insight can add new dimensions to increased understanding of the creative processes in phenomenological research that have previously not been discussed. We illustrate that sense-based impressions can facilitate creative flash of insights that open for understanding of patients’ experiences in the research process as well as in the communication of the findings. The nature of impression and flash of insight and their relevance in the creation of cognition and understanding contributes to the sparse descriptions in the methodological phenomenological research literature of the creative processes of this research. An elaboration of the creative processes in phenomenological research can help researchers to articulate these processes. Thus, Løgstrup's life philosophy has proven to be valuable in adding new dimensions to phenomenological empirical research as well as embracing lived experience. PMID:22076123

  6. Philosophizing about Teacher Dissatisfaction: A Multidisciplinary Hermeneutic Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Santoro, Doris A.

    2015-01-01

    In this methodological reflection, I describe the multidisciplinary hermeneutic process of philosophizing about teacher dissatisfaction. I discuss how philosophy serves as a starting point for interpretive work based on interviews with former teachers and readings of qualitative and quantitative research on teacher attrition and dissatisfaction.…

  7. Women's perspectives toward menopause: A phenomenological study in Iran.

    PubMed

    Hakimi, Sevil; Simbar, Masoumeh; Ramezani Tehrani, Fahimeh; Zaiery, Farid; Khatami, Shiva

    2016-01-01

    This study explores the attitude and feelings toward menopause among Azeri menopausal women using hermeneutic phenomenology based on Van Manen's approach. A total of 18 menopausal women who were attended in urban health centers of Tabriz, Iran, were recruited using a purposive sampling method. Data were gathered through semistructured interviews. Each interview was transcribed verbatim and analyzed simultaneously. Data analysis led to the emergence of five main themes: positive attitude, neutral attitude, negative attitude, positive feelings, and negative feelings. Participants had different feelings and attitude. Acceptance of menopause as a natural process helps women to have a neutral attitude toward menopause.

  8. The meaning of ethically charged encounters and their possible influence on professional identity in Norwegian public health nursing: a phenomenological hermeneutic study.

    PubMed

    Dahl, Berit Misund; Clancy, Anne; Andrews, Therese

    2014-09-01

    In today's health care, new health reforms focus on market values and demands of efficiency influence health workers' professional practice. Norwegian public health nurses work mainly with healthy populations, but the children, families and young people they meet can be in vulnerable and even dependent situations. Strategies in coping with ethically challenging encounters can be important for the identity of the profession. The aim of the study was to illuminate public health nurses' experiences of being in ethically charged encounters and to reflect upon how these experiences can influence their professional identity. A purposive sample of 23 Norwegian public health nurses with experience ranging from 0.5 to 25 years narrated about their work-related experiences. The interviews were interpreted with a phenomenological hermeneutic method inspired by the philosophy of Paul Ricoeur. Four themes were identified: feeling responsible, being committed, feeling confident and feeling inadequate. These experiences were related to both work and private life and involved an emotional commitment to the well-being of children, young people and families. On the basis of the findings, it can be estimated that PHNs are committed to their work, and defending children's rights is a strong driving force. Responsibility for service users is a deciding factor that can overshadow institutional demands. It seems as if value conflicts mobilised courage which is essential in maintaining moral strength. This is in turn important for a strong professional identity and can have positive implications for the quality of public health nursing work. © 2013 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  9. Research education: findings of a study of teaching-learning research using multiple analytical perspectives.

    PubMed

    Vandermause, Roxanne; Barbosa-Leiker, Celestina; Fritz, Roschelle

    2014-12-01

    This multimethod, qualitative study provides results for educators of nursing doctoral students to consider. Combining the expertise of an empirical analytical researcher (who uses statistical methods) and an interpretive phenomenological researcher (who uses hermeneutic methods), a course was designed that would place doctoral students in the midst of multiparadigmatic discussions while learning fundamental research methods. Field notes and iterative analytical discussions led to patterns and themes that highlight the value of this innovative pedagogical application. Using content analysis and interpretive phenomenological approaches, together with one of the students, data were analyzed from field notes recorded in real time over the period the course was offered. This article describes the course and the study analysis, and offers the pedagogical experience as transformative. A link to a sample syllabus is included in the article. The results encourage nurse educators of doctoral nursing students to focus educational practice on multiple methodological perspectives. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

  10. Hearing the Voices of Students and Teachers: A Phenomenological Approach to Educational Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sohn, Brian Kelleher; Thomas, Sandra P.; Greenberg, Katherine H.; Pollio, Howard R.

    2017-01-01

    Many contemporary researchers claim to use a phenomenological approach but seldom connect their methods to tenets from phenomenological philosophy. We describe a distinctive approach, grounded in the writings of French philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty, for conducting educational research. Procedures are outlined for bracketing pre-understandings…

  11. [Driving modes of the interview in phenomenological research: experience report].

    PubMed

    de Paula, Cristiane Cardoso; Padoin, Stela Maris de Mello; Terra, Marlene Gomes; Souza, Ivis Emília de Oliveira; Cabral, Ivone Evangelista

    2014-01-01

    This paper aimed to report the experience of driving modes of an interview on data production in phenomenological research. The proposed study is an experience report of a phenomenological investigation in which the researchers present their experience with children, considering the interview as an existential encounter. It describes ways of conducting the interview in its ontic and ontological dimensions. The ontic dimension refers to the facts related to the interview, presented in the researcher, in the researched subject and in the environment; both in its planning and its development. The ontological dimension is based on empathy and intersubjectivity. The interview enables the access to meaningful structures to comprehend the being, as a way of building investigative/assistance possibilities that enable to reveal the being of the human.

  12. Facet Theory and the Mapping Sentence As Hermeneutically Consistent Structured Meta-Ontology and Structured Meta-Mereology

    PubMed Central

    Hackett, Paul M. W.

    2016-01-01

    When behavior is interpreted in a reliable manner (i.e., robustly across different situations and times) its explained meaning may be seen to possess hermeneutic consistency. In this essay I present an evaluation of the hermeneutic consistency that I propose may be present when the research tool known as the mapping sentence is used to create generic structural ontologies. I also claim that theoretical and empirical validity is a likely result of employing the mapping sentence in research design and interpretation. These claims are non-contentious within the realm of quantitative psychological and behavioral research. However, I extend the scope of both facet theory based research and claims for its structural utility, reliability and validity to philosophical and qualitative investigations. I assert that the hermeneutic consistency of a structural ontology is a product of a structural representation's ontological components and the mereological relationships between these ontological sub-units: the mapping sentence seminally allows for the depiction of such structure. PMID:27065932

  13. 'I'm worried about getting water in the holes in my head': A phenomenological psychology case study of the experience of undergoing deep brain stimulation surgery for Parkinson's disease.

    PubMed

    Eatough, Virginia; Shaw, Karen

    2017-02-01

    Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a form of biotechnological surgery which has had considerable success for the motor improvement of Parkinson's disease and related disorders. Paradoxically, this observed motor improvement is not matched with improved psychosocial adjustment. This study contributes to a small but growing body of research aiming to understand this paradox. We conclude by discussing these aspects from a phenomenological and health psychology understanding of decision-making, human affectivity, and embodiment. A hermeneutic phenomenological case study. Semi-structured interviews with one woman with Parkinson's disease were carried out paying particular attention to (1) how the decision to have the procedure was made and (2) the affective experience in the time periods immediately prior to the procedure, shortly after and 1 month later. The thematic structure derived from the hermeneutic phenomenological analysis comprises the following experiential aspects: Making the decision: 'I was feeling rather at a dead end with my Parkinson's'; Shifting emotions and feelings: 'Terrified, excited, disappointed, overjoyed'; Embodied meaning: 'This extraordinary procedure where they were going to drill holes in my head'. This research has elucidated the complexity of decision-making, the emotional landscape, and specific bodily nature of the experience of DBS. It has suggested implications for practice informed by both existential-phenomenological theory and health psychology. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a newly developed form of biotechnological surgery and research indicates a mismatch between motor success and psychosocial adjustment. Most studies focuses on life post-DBS and there is relatively little research on how people make the decision to have the procedure, what their experience is of undergoing it including its emotional aspects. What does this study add? This study demonstrates that

  14. A phenomenological evaluation: using storytelling as a primary teaching method.

    PubMed

    Davidson, Michele R

    2004-09-01

    This phenomenological study examines the experiences of students who had been enrolled in an undergraduate women's health issues course where storytelling served as one of the primary teaching and learning tools. Using hermeneutic phenomenology, the investigator explored the perceptions of participants at the conclusion of the course. A purposive sample of 10 students made up the focus group. Themes were explicated and analyzed from interviews until data saturation was reached. Content analysis from focus groups revealed three themes: personalizing learning, participatory learning, and group trust/safe environment. Storytelling provided students with an opportunity to become more actively involved, provided a forum to relate real life examples to concrete didactic data, served as a trigger for information recollection, and made material seem more realistic. The increased discussion and interaction within the classroom setting enabled students to probe alternative views and perspectives in the class room. The use of more diverse teaching tools can enhance the students' experiences in the classroom setting.

  15. [Phenomenology and phenomenological method: their usefulness for nursing knowledge and practice].

    PubMed

    Vellone, E; Sinapi, N; Rastelli, D

    2000-01-01

    Phenomenology is a thought movement the main aim of which is to study human fenomena as they are experienced and lived. Key concepts of phenomenology are: the study of lived experience and subjectivity of human beings, the intentionality of consciousness, perception and interpretation. Phenomenological research method has nine steps: definition of the research topic; superficial literature searching; sample selection; gathering of lived experiences; analysis of lived experiences; written synthesis of lived experiences; validation of written synthesis; deep literature searching; writing of the scientific document. Phenomenology and phenomenological method are useful for nursing either to develop knowledge or to guide practice. Qualitative-phenomenological and quantitative-positivistic research are complementary: the first one guides clinicians towards a person-centered approach, the second one allows the manipulation of phenomena which can damage health, worsen illness or decrease the quality of life of people who rely on nursing care.

  16. Coupling Processes and Experiences of Never Married Heterosexual Black Men and Women: A Phenomenological Study.

    PubMed

    Awosan, Christiana I; Hardy, Kenneth V

    2017-07-01

    Over the past decades, the decline in Black marriages and the upsurge of never-married Blacks have stimulated much theoretical focus, but researchers conducted few studies on never-married heterosexual Black adults' coupling unions. Guided by an integrated framework of Africana womanism and symbolic interactionism, this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study used comprehensive individual interviews to explore the experiences of 26 never-married heterosexual Black men and women between the ages 25 and 35 about their attempts to cultivate and maintain intimate romantic relationships as well as their desire for marriage. Findings revealed mixed emotions from participants' lived experiences in developing and sustaining romantic relationships. Clinical implications highlighted the need to effectively attend to Black romantic relationships and experiences in their sociohistorical and sociocultural contexts. © 2017 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

  17. What makes a phenomenological study phenomenological? An analysis of peer-reviewed empirical nursing studies.

    PubMed

    Norlyk, Annelise; Harder, Ingegerd

    2010-03-01

    This article contributes to the debate about phenomenology as a research approach in nursing by providing a systematic review of what nurse researchers hold as phenomenology in published empirical studies. Based on the assumption that presentations of phenomenological approaches in peer-reviewed journals have consequences for the quality of future research, the aim was to analyze articles presenting phenomenological studies and, in light of the findings, raise a discussion about addressing scientific criteria. The analysis revealed considerable variations, ranging from brief to detailed descriptions of the stated phenomenological approach, and from inconsistencies to methodological clarity and rigor. Variations, apparent inconsistencies, and omissions made it unclear what makes a phenomenological study phenomenological. There is a need for clarifying how the principles of the phenomenological philosophy are implemented in a particular study before publishing. This should include an articulation of methodological keywords of the investigated phenomenon, and how an open attitude was adopted.

  18. [The quality of life as perceived by older people. Results of a phenomenological study].

    PubMed

    Grosso, Silvia; Ambrosi, Elisa; Benagli, Carla; Mortari, Luigina; Canzan, Federica

    2018-01-01

    Elderly Quality of life (QoL) is vulnerable because of the decline in physical and mental capacity, discharge from work, rupture of the family and isolation. Many QoL Scales are made for adults: there is little research investigating how older people perceive QOL. This study aims to explore and understand the perceptions that older people have about their QOL. A qualitative research hermeneutics-phenomenological was done. Narratives were analyzed by mixed method phenomenological-grounded (Mortari, 2007). 16 elderly were interviewed (aged between 80 and 93 years), residents in their home. The analysis of the interviews confirm that QoL is a multidimensional concept that encompasses several components of life. There were 7 shared themes, reflecting the experience of well-being in older people living at home. The dimensions are: living relationships that drive away loneliness, fill the time with activities that follow their own interests, accept themselves as elderly person, choose how and where to live, think about death. The results of the study show that older people perceive QOL as made of multiple components and variables. Elderly are focused on the remaining capacities, on the acceptance of the positive aspects of their lives rather than on what they can no longer do. This study help to identify some social and health strategies to guarantee the best way to live the last part of life.

  19. Phenomenology in nursing research: methodology, interviewing and transcribing.

    PubMed

    Balls, Paula

    While nurses can relate to the phenomenological approach because they see it as sharing the values of nursing, this may not be sufficient on its own to start conducting this kind of research. Using examples from my own research experience, this article aims to examine what draws nursing to this method and why nurses think they may be good at it. It also offers practical advice on how to carry out a good interview, how and what to transcribe and how to use quotes to support research.

  20. Active inference, communication and hermeneutics.

    PubMed

    Friston, Karl J; Frith, Christopher D

    2015-07-01

    Hermeneutics refers to interpretation and translation of text (typically ancient scriptures) but also applies to verbal and non-verbal communication. In a psychological setting it nicely frames the problem of inferring the intended content of a communication. In this paper, we offer a solution to the problem of neural hermeneutics based upon active inference. In active inference, action fulfils predictions about how we will behave (e.g., predicting we will speak). Crucially, these predictions can be used to predict both self and others--during speaking and listening respectively. Active inference mandates the suppression of prediction errors by updating an internal model that generates predictions--both at fast timescales (through perceptual inference) and slower timescales (through perceptual learning). If two agents adopt the same model, then--in principle--they can predict each other and minimise their mutual prediction errors. Heuristically, this ensures they are singing from the same hymn sheet. This paper builds upon recent work on active inference and communication to illustrate perceptual learning using simulated birdsongs. Our focus here is the neural hermeneutics implicit in learning, where communication facilitates long-term changes in generative models that are trying to predict each other. In other words, communication induces perceptual learning and enables others to (literally) change our minds and vice versa. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  1. Doing Phenomenology in Science Education: A Research Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    OStergaard, Edvin; Dahlin, Bo; Hugo, Aksel

    2008-01-01

    This article is a review of applications of phenomenology, as a philosophy of knowledge and qualitative research approach, to the field of science education (SE). The purpose is to give an overview of work that has been done as well as to assess it and discuss its possibilities of future development. We ask: what attempts for connecting…

  2. Specific design features of an interpretative phenomenological analysis study.

    PubMed

    Wagstaff, Christopher; Williams, Bob

    2014-01-01

    Report of an innovative use of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to enable an in-depth study of the experiences of disengagement from mental health services of black men with diagnoses of severe and enduring mental illness. The aim of IPA is to explore the sense that participants make of their personal and social worlds, while recognising the contribution of the researcher in interpreting the participants' interpretations of their experiences. Seven black male research participants were recruited to the study. The components of the study that contribute to the body of literature on IPA research design include: an engagement stage in the research; a second clarifying interview; discussion of clarifying questions and emergent themes with two academic service-users; and a post-interview meeting to discuss the themes emerging from the research study. The paper focuses on the contribution of the four specific design features of the study and how these enabled the researcher to engage with a population that is often deemed 'hard to reach'. The four distinctive methodological developments in the study emphasise the flexibility of IPA. These innovations assisted the researcher in developing a broader double hermeneutic that enabled reporting of the experiences of disengagement from mental health services of black men with diagnoses of severe and enduring mental illness. The distinctive design of this study further emphasises the flexibility of IPA, while simultaneously showing fidelity to the core principles underlying the research methodology.

  3. Traversing the Chiasms of Lived Experiences: Phenomenological Illuminations for Practitioner Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lukenchuk, Antonina

    2006-01-01

    This article juxtaposes Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology of sense perception and practitioner research as well as demonstrating their potential to become integrated into powerful educational research and practice. The paper elaborates on Merleau-Ponty's metaphor of "chiasm", extends its symbolic meaning to practitioner research and illustrates its…

  4. Patients' and their family members' experiences of participation in care following an acute exacerbation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A phenomenological-hermeneutic study.

    PubMed

    Andersen, Ingrid Charlotte; Thomsen, Thora Grothe; Bruun, Poul; Bødtger, Uffe; Hounsgaard, Lise

    2017-12-01

    To explore the experiences of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and their family members relating both to participation in care during hospitalisation for an acute exacerbation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and to the subsequent day-to-day care at home. When recovering from an exacerbation, the challenges associated with an unpredictable health condition dominate everyday life for patients and can involve their family members. Proper patient and family participation in care during discharge and follow-up can help patients to improve self-management. However, knowledge of the significance of patient and family participation for recovery and subsequent everyday life is still limited. This study adopted a longitudinal design informed by ethnographic fieldwork principles. Participant observations and interviews with 15 patients and 12 family members were conducted on a Danish hospital ward and twice at the participants' homes. A phenomenological-hermeneutic approach inspired by Ricoeur's theory of interpretation guided the data analysis. Participation in care was perceived as valuable, but could be associated with tensions and increased uncertainty. While patients mostly demonstrated a reactive approach to care, family members strived to be more proactive. In hospital, preparing for discharge included an effort to find a balance between powerlessness and influence during interactions with healthcare professionals. At home, managing further recovery and self-management were characterised by navigating between mutual pressure and consideration within the family. Family members play an important role in ensuring that patients are seen, heard and understood, but want to be acknowledged more by healthcare professionals. Appropriate interactions with healthcare professionals are crucial in order to support discharge and daily self-management. Knowledge of the challenges that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and their family

  5. Hermeneutics as a Methodological Resource for Understanding Empathy in On-Line Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walshaw, Margaret; Duncan, Wayne

    2015-01-01

    Hermeneutics is both a philosophical tradition and a methodological resource. In this qualitative study, hermeneutics provided, simultaneously, a framework and a methodology for understanding empathy in synchronous multimedia conferencing. As a framework for the design of the study, hermeneutics supported the overriding objective to understand the…

  6. Standardised Curriculum and Hermeneutics: The Case of Australian Vocational Educators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hodge, Steven

    2018-01-01

    Curriculum theorists have acknowledged the relevance of "hermeneutics", or theory of interpretation and understanding, to curriculum studies. In the European "Didaktik" tradition hermeneutics has also been applied to the curriculum work of educators, but such an extension is rarer in the Anglo-American tradition. Educators in…

  7. Being the Bridge: The Lived Experience of Educating with Online Courseware in the High School Blended Learning Setting

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rambo, Anna Lynn

    2011-01-01

    This dissertation explores the lived experiences of educators who teach in flex model blended learning settings using online, vendor-provided courseware. The tradition of hermeneutic phenomenology grounds this inquiry (Heidegger, 1927/2008). Phenomenological research activities designed by van Manen (1990, 2002) provide the methodological…

  8. Mimesis in Educational Hermeneutics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kemp, Peter

    2006-01-01

    Philosophy of education is regarded as an art of hermeneutics that integrates a theory of mimesis in its understanding of the educational transmission. The idea of the master is reconsidered in this perspective in order to overcome the old opposition between classicism and romanticism. In that way the author attempts to respond to the question:…

  9. Who Is the Lifelong Learner? Globalization, Lifelong Learning and Hermeneutics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Uggla, Bengt Kristensson

    2008-01-01

    The aim of this essay is to elaborate on the inner connection between three such diverse entities as lifelong learning, globalization and hermeneutics. After placing lifelong learning in a societal context framed by globalization, my intention is to reflect on the prerequisites for introducing a hermeneutical contribution to the understanding of…

  10. From miracle to reconciliation: a hermeneutic phenomenological study exploring the experience of living with Parkinson's disease following deep brain stimulation.

    PubMed

    Haahr, Anita; Kirkevold, Marit; Hall, Elisabeth O C; Ostergaard, Karen

    2010-10-01

    Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's disease is a promising treatment for patients who can no longer be treated satisfactorily with L-dopa. Deep Brain Stimulation is known to relieve motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease and improve quality of life. Focusing on how patients experience life when treated with Deep Brain Stimulation can provide essential information on the process patients go through when receiving a treatment that alters the body and changes the illness trajectory. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the experience of living with Parkinson's disease when treated with Deep Brain Stimulation. The study was designed as a longitudinal study and data were gathered through qualitative in-depth interviews three times during the first year of treatment. Nine patients participated in the study. They were included when they had accepted treatment with Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's disease. Data collection and data analysis were inspired by the hermeneutic phenomenological methodology of Van Manen. The treatment had a major impact on the body. Participants experienced great bodily changes and went through a process of adjustment in three phases during the first year of treatment with Deep Brain Stimulation. These stages were; being liberated: a kind of miracle, changes as a challenge: decline or opportunity and reconciliation: re-defining life with Parkinson's disease. The course of the process was unique for each participant, but dominant was that difficulties during the adjustment of stimulation and medication did affect the re-defining process. Patients go through a dramatic process of change following Deep Brain Stimulation. A changing body affects their entire lifeworld. Some adjust smoothly to changes while others are affected by loss of control, uncertainty and loss of everyday life as they knew it. These experiences affect the process of adjusting to life with Deep Brain Stimulation and re-define life with Parkinson's disease

  11. Hermeneutics, Underdetermination and Quantum Mechanics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cushing, James T.

    1995-01-01

    States that the existence of an essential underdetermination in the interpretation of the formalism of quantum mechanics, in spite of the widespread belief that logic and empirical considerations alone demand an indeterministic world view in physics, legitimizes the analysis of hermeneutics in science education. (LZ)

  12. Methodological considerations related to nurse researchers using their own experience of a phenomenon within phenomenology.

    PubMed

    Johnston, Colleen M; Wallis, Marianne; Oprescu, Florin I; Gray, Marion

    2017-03-01

    This paper summarizes phenomenology and discusses how nurses can use their own experiences as data and maintain rigour within the method. It explores how data from researchers experiencing the phenomenon of interest could be used to explicate assumptions and pre-understandings and may also be used as data. While the ethnographic concept of insider research has gained popularity, the notion of researcher as participant in phenomenology is relatively new. The lived experience of a phenomenon is unique to each person and utilization of the nurse researcher's experiences of the phenomenon should be considered for inclusion as data. Discussion paper. Articles from 2001 - 2015 in the CINAHL and PubMed databases were identified using keywords such as 'insider research', 'phenomenology', 'bracketing' and 'qualitative research'. In addition, reference lists from articles used were examined to identify additional literature. Phenomenology is a valuable research method. Usability, credibility, trustworthiness and auditability of data collected must be considered to ensure rigour and maintain orientation to the phenomenon under investigation. Nurse researchers may be interviewed as participants if these four principles are considered and methods used are made explicit. Utilizing appropriate research methods are as important as getting clinical practice correct to advance knowledge and benefit those under our care. We recommend using the researchers' experience as a data source to gain a complete picture of the phenomenon under investigation. Using the approach proposed here, nurses can ensure they are incorporating all data sources available while maintaining research rigour. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Giving voice to vulnerable people: the value of shadowing for phenomenological healthcare research.

    PubMed

    van der Meide, Hanneke; Leget, Carlo; Olthuis, Gert

    2013-11-01

    Phenomenological healthcare research should include the lived experiences of a broad group of healthcare users. In this paper it is shown how shadowing can give a voice to people in vulnerable situations who are often excluded from interview studies. Shadowing is an observational method in which the researcher observes an individual during a relatively long time. Central aspects of the method are the focus on meaning expressed by the whole body, and an extended stay of the researcher in the phenomenal event itself. Inherent in shadowing is a degree of ambivalence that both challenges the researcher and provides meaningful insights about the phenomenon. A case example of a phenomenological study on the experiences of elderly hospital patients is used to show what shadowing yields.

  14. A Phenomenological Research Study on Writer's Block: Causes, Processes, and Results

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bastug, Muhammet; Ertem, Ihsan Seyit; Keskin, Hasan Kagan

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the causes, processes of writer's block experienced by a group of classroom teacher candidates and its impact on them. Design/methodology/approach: The phenomenological design, which is a qualitative research design, was preferred in the research since it was aimed to investigate the causes,…

  15. [Hermeneutics and relativism].

    PubMed

    Miegge, Mario

    2012-01-01

    Giovanni Jervis left us. There is only one way to cope with the irremediable separation: to give voice to what he said and wrote, by keeping open among us questions he asked, because they are also ours. In this dialogue with Giacomo Marramao let me begin with certain passages of the essay Psychoanalysis as a Critical Exercise that Jervis published in 1989. In the second part of the intervention I will try to explain why, in my opinion, hermeneutics cannot be equated with "relativism".

  16. Alternative approaches to research in physical therapy: positivism and phenomenology.

    PubMed

    Shepard, K F; Jensen, G M; Schmoll, B J; Hack, L M; Gwyer, J

    1993-02-01

    This article presents philosophical approaches to research in physical therapy. A comparison is made to demonstrate how the research purpose, research design, research methods, and research data differ when one approaches research from the philosophical perspective of positivism (predominantly quantitative) as compared with the philosophical perspective of phenomenology (predominantly qualitative). Differences between the two approaches are highlighted by examples from research articles published in Physical Therapy. The authors urge physical therapy researchers to become familiar with the tenets, rigor, and knowledge gained from the use of both approaches in order to increase their options in conducting research relevant to the practice of physical therapy.

  17. Are phenomenology and postpositivism strange bedfellows?

    PubMed

    Racher, Frances E; Robinson, Steven

    2003-08-01

    Researchers are advocating that a necessary condition of scholarly research is congruence between philosophical positions and research approaches. Phenomenology and postpositivism, traditionally, may appear to be situated in scientific inquiry as polar opposites and mutually exclusive paradigms. This article (a) describes the reflections of a nurse researcher and clarifies her philosophical assumptions; (b) delineates the postpositive paradigm and the interpretive paradigm, which traditionally includes phenomenology; (c) discusses phenomenology as a philosophy, an approach, and a research method; and (d) demonstrates the consistency between postpositivism and phenomenology. Nurse researchers must be aware of their philosophical assumptions and appraise the philosophical underpinnings of the methodologies, but this process should not restrict and limit their exploration of possibilities and the creativity in their efforts to address the growing challenges that await nursing science research.

  18. Building Connections: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Qualitative Research Students' Learning Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cooper, Robin; Fleischer, Anne; Cotton, Fatima A.

    2012-01-01

    This paper describes a phenomenological study in which the authors explored students' experiences learning qualitative research in a variety of academic fields. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with six participants from various academic fields who had completed at least one post-secondary-school-level qualitative research course…

  19. Workshop on Friction: Understanding and Addressing Students' Difficulties in Learning Science through a Hermeneutical Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ha, Sangwoo; Lee, Gyoungho; Kalman, Calvin S.

    2013-01-01

    Hermeneutics is useful in science and science education by emphasizing the process of understanding. The purpose of this study was to construct a workshop based upon hermeneutical principles and to interpret students' learning in the workshop through a hermeneutical perspective. When considering the history of Newtonian mechanics, it could be…

  20. Decoding the Disciplines as a Hermeneutic Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yeo, Michelle

    2017-01-01

    This chapter argues that expert practice is an inquiry that surfaces a hermeneutic relationship between theory, practice, and the world, with implications for new lines of questioning in the Decoding interview.

  1. Experiences of undergraduate African health sciences students: A hermeneutic inquiry.

    PubMed

    Inyama, Davis; Williams, Allison; McCauley, Kay

    2015-06-01

    While efforts have been made to understand the experiences of African students in predominantly white environments, the experiences of African students in clinical placement areas have rarely been explored. This paper is a report on a study designed to address the gap in educational research on the experiences of African health sciences students in clinical placements in predominantly white environments. Interviews adopting an open approach to conversations were conducted with nine African students from three health disciplines at one metropolitan university in Australia between 2012 and 2013. Interview transcripts were analyzed using philosophical hermeneutics, where shared meanings were arrived at by employing key Gadamerian hermeneutic components. Findings revealed a number of factors that had a direct effect on the meaning students derived from their clinical placement experiences. These, as revealed in the interlinked domains of body, space, relationships, and time included difference, acceptance, resilience, and cultural sensitivity. Insights from this study may lead to the adoption of strategies designed to improve the experiences of African students studying health sciences in predominantly white environments. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  2. Researching Embodiment in Movement Contexts: A Phenomenological Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Standal, Oyvind F.; Engelsrud, Gunn

    2013-01-01

    This article takes a phenomenological approach to understanding embodiment in relation to teaching and learning taking place in movement contexts. Recently a number of studies have pointed to the potential that phenomenology has to understand the meanings and experiences of moving subjects. By presenting two examples of our own work on embodied…

  3. Phenomenology in Its Original Sense.

    PubMed

    van Manen, Max

    2017-05-01

    In this article, I try to think through the question, "What distinguishes phenomenology in its original sense?" My intent is to focus on the project and methodology of phenomenology in a manner that is not overly technical and that may help others to further elaborate on or question the singular features that make phenomenology into a unique qualitative form of inquiry. I pay special attention to the notion of "lived" in the phenomenological term "lived experience" to demonstrate its critical role and significance for understanding phenomenological reflection, meaning, analysis, and insights. I also attend to the kind of experiential material that is needed to focus on a genuine phenomenological question that should guide any specific research project. Heidegger, van den Berg, and Marion provide some poignant exemplars of the use of narrative "examples" in phenomenological explorations of the phenomena of "boredom," "conversation," and "the meaningful look in eye-contact." Only what is given or what gives itself in lived experience (or conscious awareness) are proper phenomenological "data" or "givens," but these givens are not to be confused with data material that can be coded, sorted, abstracted, and accordingly analyzed in some "systematic" manner. The latter approach to experiential research may be appropriate and worthwhile for various types of qualitative inquiry but not for phenomenology in its original sense. Finally, I use the mythical figure of Kairos to show that the famous phenomenological couplet of the epoché-reduction aims for phenomenological insights that require experiential analysis and attentive (but serendipitous) methodical inquiry practices.

  4. Phenomenological Research: Inquiry to Understand the Meanings of People's Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bliss, Linda A.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to introduce readers to phenomenological inquiry, an inductive qualitative research approach that is rooted in the philosophical proposition that researchers can gain valuable insight into the structure of how people understand their experiences. It is assumed that there is a structure or essence to the meaning…

  5. The bodily experience of apraxia in everyday activities: a phenomenological study.

    PubMed

    Arntzen, Cathrine; Elstad, Ingunn

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study is to explore apraxia as a phenomenon in everyday activities, as experienced by a group of stroke patients. Some consequences for clinical practice are suggested. In this phenomenological hermeneutical study, six persons with apraxia were followed from 2 to 6 months, from the early phase of stroke rehabilitation. ADL-situations and interactions with therapists were observed and videotaped repeatedly during the rehabilitation trajectory, to provide access to and familiarity with the participant's apractic difficulties over time. Two in-depth interviews were conducted with each participant. Interviews and video observations were analyzed together, taking Merleau-Ponty's concept of bodily intentionality as basis for analysis and his phenomenology as the main theoretical perspective of the study. Five types of altered bodily intentionality were described by the participants [ 1 ]: Gap between intention and bodily action [ 2 ], Fragmented awareness in action [ 3 ], Peculiar actions and odd bodies [ 4 ], Intentionality on the loose, and [ 5 ] Fighting against tools. These were recognized as characteristics typical of the apraxia experience. The phenomenology of Merleau-Ponty, and his concept of bodily intentionality in particular, elucidate the way specific apractic difficulties come into being and may thus render apraxia less incomprehensible. The apraxia phenomenon appears as characteristic fragmentations of anticipation inherent in action performance, thereby "slackening" the bodily intentionality. Identifying apractic changes of intentionality may help health professionals to adjust and individualize therapy, and facilitate patients' acting competence in everyday life.

  6. Power, Language, and Professional Choices: A Hermeneutic Approach To Teaching Technical Communication.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tillery, Denise

    2001-01-01

    Argues that the philosophical hermeneutics of Hans-Georg Gadamer provides a useful theoretical framework from which to discuss ethical issues in the technical communication classroom. Analyzes a previously published case study to demonstrate how hermeneutics can shed light on the ways that writers can be unconscious of ethical problems in their…

  7. In search of salience: phenomenological analysis of moral distress.

    PubMed

    Manara, Duilio F; Villa, Giulia; Moranda, Dina

    2014-07-01

    The nurse's moral competences in the management of situations which present ethical implications are less investigated in literature than other ethical problems related to clinical nursing. Phenomenology affirms that emotional warmth is the first fundamental attitude as well as the premise of any ethical reasoning. Nevertheless, it is not clear how and when this could be confirmed in situations where the effect of emotions on the nurse's decisional process is undiscovered. To explore the processes through which situations of moral distress are determined for the nurses involved in nursing situations, a phenomenological-hermeneutic analysis of a nurse's report of an experience lived by her as a moral distress situation has been conducted. Nursing emerges as a relational doctrine that requires the nurse to have different degrees of personal involvement, the integration between logical-formal thinking and narrative thinking, the perception of the salience of the given situation also through the interpretation and management of one's own emotions, and the capacity to undergo a process of co-construction of shared meanings that the others might consider adequate for the resolution of her problem. Moral action requires the nurse to think constantly about the important things that are happening in a nursing situation. Commitment towards practical situations is directed to training in order to promote the nurse's reflective ability towards finding salience in nursing situations, but it is also directed to the management of nursing assistance and human resources for the initial impact that this reflexive ability has on patients' and their families' lives and on their need to be heard and assisted. The only case analysed does not allow generalizations. Further research is needed to investigate how feelings generated by emotional acceptance influence ethical decision making and moral distress in nursing situations. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Interdisciplinary Research and Phenomenology as Parallel Processes of Consciousness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arvidson, P. Sven

    2016-01-01

    There are significant parallels between interdisciplinarity and phenomenology. Interdisciplinary conscious processes involve identifying relevant disciplines, evaluating each disciplinary insight, and creating common ground. In an analogous way, phenomenology involves conscious processes of epoché, reduction, and eidetic variation. Each stresses…

  9. Hope in "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption": a human becoming hermeneutic study.

    PubMed

    Parse, Rosemarie Rizzo

    2007-04-01

    This article is the report of the human becoming hermeneutic method study on "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" (the short story, the screenplay, and the film). The study unfolded during the Parse-King dialogue that answered the research question what is hope as humanly lived? Emergent meanings were discovered that enhanced knowledge and understanding of hope in general and expanded the human becoming school of thought.

  10. The utility of human sciences in nursing inquiry.

    PubMed

    Pratt, Maria

    2012-01-01

    This paper targets novice nurse researchers to highlight how the perspectives of human sciences are useful in understanding people's experiences. There is a need to address the utility of human sciences or the humanistic philosophy that values the understanding of subjective experiences in nursing, given that the mainstream development of nursing knowledge is still influenced by the positivist and post-positivist research paradigms. Discussion papers on Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenology, human sciences, and qualitative research were accessed through the databases Cinahl and Medline over the past 30 years. Seminal works on phenomenology were addressed in this paper. Using Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenology as a commonly referenced human philosophy and methodology, this paper discusses how Heidegger's (1962) perspective may be used in nursing practice and research. Van Manen's (1990) descriptions of phenomenological science are discussed to address the perspective's value in nursing inquiry and to reveal the biases associated with this humanistic approach. The limitations of human sciences should not deter nurse researchers from using this type of nursing inquiry as it can provide an important framework in nursing research, practice and knowledge development. The author's perspective as a graduate student highlights the importance of human sciences in exploring the experiences of people vital in the delivery of nursing practice. However, researchers wishing to undertake humanistic inquiry should learn the philosophical and methodological underpinnings of their chosen humanistic approach.

  11. Service user involvement enhanced the research quality in a study using interpretative phenomenological analysis - the power of multiple perspectives.

    PubMed

    Mjøsund, Nina Helen; Eriksson, Monica; Espnes, Geir Arild; Haaland-Øverby, Mette; Jensen, Sven Liang; Norheim, Irene; Kjus, Solveig Helene Høymork; Portaasen, Inger-Lill; Vinje, Hege Forbech

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to examine how service user involvement can contribute to the development of interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology and enhance research quality. Interpretative phenomenological analysis is a qualitative methodology used in nursing research internationally to understand human experiences that are essential to the participants. Service user involvement is requested in nursing research. We share experiences from 4 years of collaboration (2012-2015) on a mental health promotion project, which involved an advisory team. Five research advisors either with a diagnosis or related to a person with severe mental illness constituted the team. They collaborated with the research fellow throughout the entire research process and have co-authored this article. We examined the joint process of analysing the empirical data from interviews. Our analytical discussions were audiotaped, transcribed and subsequently interpreted following the guidelines for good qualitative analysis in interpretative phenomenological analysis studies. The advisory team became 'the researcher's helping hand'. Multiple perspectives influenced the qualitative analysis, which gave more insightful interpretations of nuances, complexity, richness or ambiguity in the interviewed participants' accounts. The outcome of the service user involvement was increased breadth and depth in findings. Service user involvement improved the research quality in a nursing research project on mental health promotion. The interpretative element of interpretative phenomenological analysis was enhanced by the emergence of multiple perspectives in the qualitative analysis of the empirical data. We argue that service user involvement and interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology can mutually reinforce each other and strengthen qualitative methodology. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. The vulnerability to schizophrenia mainstream research paradigms and phenomenological directions.

    PubMed

    Stanghellini, Giovanni; Fusar-Poli, Paolo

    2012-01-01

    Early psychopathological attempts to characterize the vulnerability to schizophrenia were based on the phenomenological method. From the beginning, phenomenologically-oriented psychopathologists have searched the basic vulnerability underlying schizophrenic phenomena in two main domains: depersonalization and derealisation/desocialization. Schizophrenic persons undergo a special kind of depersonalisation: the living body becomes a functioning body, a thing-like mechanism in which feelings, perceptions, and actions take place as if they happened in an outer space. They also endure a special kind of derealisation/de-socialization: the interpersonal scene becomes like a theatre stage, pervaded with a sense of unreality, on which the main actor is unaware of the plot, out of touch with the role he is acting and unable to make sense of the objects he encounters and of what the other people are doing. Many years later, the mainstream research paradigms employed to investigate the vulnerability concept in schizophrenic psychosis have included genetic studies, birth cohort studies, psychosis proneness, and clinical high risk. We will review these studies and conclude with an outline of future research directions focusing on three main features of the psychopathology of early schizophrenia: anomalies of the pre-reflexive self and of the social self (intersubjectivity), and existential re-orientation.

  13. From Husserl to van Manen. A review of different phenomenological approaches.

    PubMed

    Dowling, Maura

    2007-01-01

    This paper traces the development of phenomenology as a philosophy originating from the writings of Husserl to its use in phenomenological research and theory development in nursing. The key issues of phenomenological reduction and bracketing are also discussed as they play a pivotal role in the how phenomenological research studies are approached. What has become to be known as "new" phenomenology is also explored and the key differences between it and "traditional" phenomenology are discussed. van Manen's phenomenology is also considered in light of its contemporary popularity among nurse researchers.

  14. "When illness dictates who I am": A hermeneutic approach to older adults with heart disease.

    PubMed

    Sampaio, Carlos; Renaud, Isabel; Ponce Leão, Paula

    2018-04-26

    Heart failure (HF) is increasing in prevalence and will continue to do so with an aging population. Few studies describe, from a lifeworld perspective, the experiences of elderly people who are very ill and living with advanced HF, and how meaning about personal dignity in daily life is created. Data were collected by in-depth interviews with 12 Portuguese older people with advanced HF. The transcribed texts from the interviews were analyzed using the phenomenological hermeneutical method. The results demonstrate two main themes: the perspective of oneself as vulnerable and as a significant person. Findings demonstrate the need for health care professionals to find an approach that ensures both quality medical care and, at the same time, acknowledges the uniqueness of each subject. From the elderly people's stories, it is clear that in order to retain a sense of dignity people need to be seen and respected for who they are. The information about life stories is often used to make possible biographical oriented care. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Grounded Theory Methodology: Positivism, Hermeneutics, and Pragmatism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Age, Lars-Johan

    2011-01-01

    Glaserian grounded theory methodology, which has been widely adopted as a scientific methodology in recent decades, has been variously characterised as "hermeneutic" and "positivist." This commentary therefore takes a different approach to characterising grounded theory by undertaking a comprehensive analysis of: (a) the philosophical paradigms of…

  16. Hermeneutics, Aesthetics, and the Quest for Answerability: A Dialogic Possibility for Reconceptualizing the Interpretive Process in Curriculum Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Slattery, Patrick; Krasny, Karen A.; O'Malley, Michael Patrick

    2007-01-01

    This study reviews six traditional approaches to hermeneutics and presents a dialogic understanding of hermeneutics. It concludes with specific applications of hermeneutics to curriculum development practices in schools with a focus on inter-subjectivity. While 20th-century access to post-structural notions of subjectivity through aesthetic…

  17. Education as Simulation Game: A Critical Hermeneutic.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Palermo, James

    1979-01-01

    This paper examines a specific educational game called "Popcorn Factory." First, it gives a detailed description of the game, then shifts the description into a critical hermeneutical framework, analyzing the deep structures at work in the "Popcorn Factory" according to the theories of Freud and Marcuse. (Author/SJL)

  18. Phenomenology and adapted physical activity: philosophy and professional practice.

    PubMed

    Standal, Øyvind F

    2014-01-01

    Through the increased use of qualitative research methods, the term phenomenology has become a quite familiar notion for researchers in adapted physical activity (APA). In contrast to this increasing interest in phenomenology as methodology, relatively little work has focused on phenomenology as philosophy or as an approach to professional practice. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to examine the relevance of phenomenology as philosophy and as pedagogy to the field of APA. First, phenomenology as philosophy is introduced through three key notions, namely the first-person perspective, embodiment, and life-world. The relevance of these terms to APA is then outlined. Second, the concept of phenomenological pedagogy is introduced, and its application and potential for APA are discussed. In conclusion, it is argued that phenomenology can help theorize ways of understanding human difference in movement contexts and form a basis of action-oriented research aiming at developing professional practice.

  19. The aesthetic and cultural interests of patients attending an acute hospital--a phenomenological study.

    PubMed

    Moss, Hilary; O'Neill, Desmond

    2014-01-01

    To describe the aesthetic and cultural pursuits of older patients in hospital. Although there is much discussion of the importance of arts - used in this paper to refer to all art forms, as currently listed by the Arts Council of Ireland www.artscouncil.ie - in health, little is known about the salience of aesthetic and cultural pursuits of hospital patients. A qualitative, hermeneutic phenomenological study examined artistic and cultural interests and experiences of older hospital patients and their perceptions of aesthetics of hospital. A phenomenological study was carried out in 2011, using purposeful sampling with 20 inpatients aged over 65. Patients were selected from the geriatric medicine day hospital of a university teaching hospital, 10 had experience of the hospital arts programme. Seven themes identified: loss and the impact of illness on leisure activities; patients' interests and passions; a lack of expectation of arts in hospital; the positive impact of arts in hospital for those who had experienced them; varying preference between receptive and participative arts activity according to phase of illness; aesthetic aspects of the hospital experience; recommendations for changes to improve arts in hospital. Aesthetic and cultural interests are important in the lives of older patients admitted to hospital. Illness can create barriers to artistic engagement. Participation in arts activities may be more important during recovery and rehabilitation, with receptive arts being more popular during the acute phase of illness in hospital. Further research recommended on the role of the aesthetic environment for patients' health and well-being as well as receptive arts in hospital. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Being Mindful as a Phenomenological Attitude.

    PubMed

    Gustin, Lena Wiklund

    2017-08-01

    The purpose of this article is to reflect on being mindful as a phenomenological attitude rather than on describing mindfulness as a therapeutic intervention. I will also explore the possibilities that being mindful might open up in relation to nursing research and holistic nursing. I will describe and interpret mindfulness as a state of being by means of van Manen's phenomenological method, using the language of phenomenology rather than the language of reductionist science. Thus, this article can be considered a reflective narrative, describing both the process of orienting to the phenomenon, making preunderstandings-including own experiences of mindfulness-visible, and a thematic analysis of nine scientific articles describing the phenomenon. Being mindful as a phenomenological attitude can be described as a deliberate intentionality, where the person is present in the moment and open to what is going on, bridling personal values and accepting the unfamiliar, thus achieving a sense of being peacefully situated in the world, and able to apprehend one's being-in-the-world. Being mindful as a phenomenological attitude can contribute not only to phenomenological nursing research but also support nurses' presence and awareness.

  1. The Hurt of Judgment in Excessive Weight Women: A Hermeneutic Study.

    PubMed

    Mehrdad, Neda; Hossein Abbasi, Nahid; Nikbakht Nasrabadi, Alireza

    2015-04-23

    Excess weight is one of the increasing problems of the present society and one of the threatening health conditions around the world. Despite many efforts for prevention and treatment or even surgery, the process of excess weight is not decreased in the world. While most of the studies conducted on excess weight concentrated on the issues why people get excess weight or how the prevention and treatment of excess weight must be performed, there is lake of knowledge about what excessive weight people really experience in their daily life. Understanding the lived experience of excess weight in women is linked with their health and society's health while it indirectly develops the nursing knowledge to improve the quality and access to holistic health care in excessive weight women. The aim of study was to describe with a deeper understanding, the lived experience of excess weight in women. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach and a van-manen analysis methods, in depth semi- structured interviews were conducted with twelve women who had lived experience of excess weight. The hurt of Judgment was the main theme that emerged in the process of data analysis. This theme was derived from three sub-themes including social judgment, being different and being seen. These findings can prove helpful in promoting the nursing knowledge concerning a holistic approach in communicating to excessive weight people.

  2. Children and adolescents living with atopic eczema: an interpretive phenomenological study with Chinese mothers.

    PubMed

    Cheung, Winnie K H; Lee, Regina L T

    2012-10-01

    This article is a report on a phenomenological study of Chinese mothers' experiences of caring for their children who were living with atopic eczema. A mother's attitude and personality may have a direct influence on her child's adherence to treatment for atopic eczema. Thus, good communication between healthcare professionals and the mother is essential. Treatment and care should also be culturally appropriate. Using an interpretive phenomenological method, 14 interviews were conducted in Hong Kong, China from September 2007 to August 2008, with nine mothers caring for their children who were living with atopic eczema. Crist and Tanner's circular process of hermeneutic interpretive phenomenology was chosen to guide the data analysis. Mothers' coping patterns involved persistently dealing with enduring demands and seeking alternative therapies that were aimed at curing the disease. Four themes finally emerged from the data: (1) dealing with extra mothering, (2) giving up their life, (3) becoming an expert and (4) living with blame and worry. Mothers' coping patterns involved persistently finding ways to relieve their children's suffering with the aim of curing the disease and dealing with their own emotions related to the frustration resulting from giving up their life and living with blame and worry. The study findings provide nurses with an empathic insight into mothers' feelings and the enduring demands of caring for children with atopic eczema, and help nurses to develop culturally sensitive interventions, reinforce positive coping strategies, increase family function and improve health outcomes. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  3. The lived experience of caregivers of persons with heart failure: A phenomenological study.

    PubMed

    Petruzzo, Antonio; Paturzo, Marco; Naletto, Monica; Cohen, Marlene Z; Alvaro, Rosaria; Vellone, Ercole

    2017-10-01

    Heart failure (HF) patients need to follow a strict pharmacological and nonpharmacological regimen in order to counteract the burden of the disease, and informal caregivers are an important resource for HF patients in managing and coping with their disease. Few studies have examined the lived experience of these caregivers with a rigorous phenomenological approach, and none have been conducted in Italy. To describe the lived experience of the caregivers of HF patients. A hermeneutic phenomenological method was used. Caregivers were enrolled in a HF clinic in central Italy. Interviews were analysed using a phenomenological approach. Credibility, dependability, confirmability and transferability were adopted in order to strengthen trustworthiness. Thirty HF caregivers (mean age: 53 years) were enrolled. Of these, 63% of the caregivers were female and 80% were patients' spouses or children. Six themes emerged: (1) fear and worry related to the illness; (2) life changes and restrictions; (3) burden due to caregiving; (4) uncertainty about illness management; (5) helping patients to cope with the illness; and (6) love and affection towards the patient. The findings of our study may help providers to guide interventions for HF caregivers. Providers should be supportive of caregivers and provide them with education in order to reduce their fears and worries about the illness and to handle the course of HF and its symptoms. An empathetic and practical approach with caregivers that considers the patient-caregiver relationship may help caregivers to cope with the changes and restrictions that caregiving brings to their lives and to reduce their burden.

  4. Gadamerian philosophical hermeneutics as a useful methodological framework for the Delphi technique.

    PubMed

    Guzys, Diana; Dickson-Swift, Virginia; Kenny, Amanda; Threlkeld, Guinever

    2015-01-01

    In this article we aim to demonstrate how Gadamerian philosophical hermeneutics may provide a sound methodological framework for researchers using the Delphi Technique (Delphi) in studies exploring health and well-being. Reporting of the use of Delphi in health and well-being research is increasing, but less attention has been given to covering its methodological underpinnings. In Delphi, a structured anonymous conversation between participants is facilitated, via an iterative survey process. Participants are specifically selected for their knowledge and experience with the topic of interest. The purpose of structuring conversation in this manner is to cultivate collective opinion and highlight areas of disagreement, using a process that minimizes the influence of group dynamics. The underlying premise is that the opinion of a collective is more useful than that of an individual. In designing our study into health literacy, Delphi aligned well with our research focus and would enable us to capture collective views. However, we were interested in the methodology that would inform our study. As researchers, we believe that methodology provides the framework and principles for a study and is integral to research integrity. In assessing the suitability of Delphi for our research purpose, we found little information about underpinning methodology. The absence of a universally recognized or consistent methodology associated with Delphi was highlighted through a scoping review we undertook to assist us in our methodological thinking. This led us to consider alternative methodologies, which might be congruent with the key principles of Delphi. We identified Gadamerian philosophical hermeneutics as a methodology that could provide a supportive framework and principles. We suggest that this methodology may be useful in health and well-being studies utilizing the Delphi method.

  5. Gadamerian philosophical hermeneutics as a useful methodological framework for the Delphi technique

    PubMed Central

    Guzys, Diana; Dickson-Swift, Virginia; Kenny, Amanda; Threlkeld, Guinever

    2015-01-01

    In this article we aim to demonstrate how Gadamerian philosophical hermeneutics may provide a sound methodological framework for researchers using the Delphi Technique (Delphi) in studies exploring health and well-being. Reporting of the use of Delphi in health and well-being research is increasing, but less attention has been given to covering its methodological underpinnings. In Delphi, a structured anonymous conversation between participants is facilitated, via an iterative survey process. Participants are specifically selected for their knowledge and experience with the topic of interest. The purpose of structuring conversation in this manner is to cultivate collective opinion and highlight areas of disagreement, using a process that minimizes the influence of group dynamics. The underlying premise is that the opinion of a collective is more useful than that of an individual. In designing our study into health literacy, Delphi aligned well with our research focus and would enable us to capture collective views. However, we were interested in the methodology that would inform our study. As researchers, we believe that methodology provides the framework and principles for a study and is integral to research integrity. In assessing the suitability of Delphi for our research purpose, we found little information about underpinning methodology. The absence of a universally recognized or consistent methodology associated with Delphi was highlighted through a scoping review we undertook to assist us in our methodological thinking. This led us to consider alternative methodologies, which might be congruent with the key principles of Delphi. We identified Gadamerian philosophical hermeneutics as a methodology that could provide a supportive framework and principles. We suggest that this methodology may be useful in health and well-being studies utilizing the Delphi method. PMID:25948132

  6. Flying, Feathery and Beaked Objects: Children's Mental Models about Birds

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ahi, Berat

    2016-01-01

    Purpose of this research is to state preschool students' mental model about birds by analyzing their drawing. This is a hermeneutical phenomenology research that is based on social constructivist philosophy. Typical case sampling method has used in order to form working group of this research. Working group consisting of 325 children who are in…

  7. Being emotionally abused: a phenomenological study of adult women's experiences of emotionally abusive intimate partner relationships.

    PubMed

    Queen, Josie; Nurse, Army; Brackley, Margaret H; Williams, Gail B

    2009-04-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore and describe individual perceptions, meanings, and definitions of emotional abuse through the lived experience of women who identified themselves as being emotionally abused by an intimate partner (IP). To answer the research question, "What is it like to live the life of a woman who is emotionally abused by her intimate partner?" A descriptive, phenomenological research design was undertaken. Unstructured individual interviews with 15 emotionally abused adult women resulted in the discovery of seven essential themes: captivity, defining moments, disassociation from self, fixing, mindful manipulation, relentless terror, and taking a stand. A combination of a hermeneutic approach and Diekelmann's approach to data analysis was used to explore differences in perceptions and develop essential themes that portrayed the essence of a woman's lived experience of being emotionally abused by her IP. The data also demonstrated that (1) IP emotional abuse has no prerequisite for partner rage or obvious emotional manipulation, (2) the absence of caring and respectful partner behaviors was just as powerful in creating an emotionally abusive experience as openly abusive behaviors, and (3) being emotionally abused was a life journey, encompassing multiple culminations, secondary physical and mental health symptoms, and quality of life issues that extended well beyond the immediate abuse experience.

  8. African American grandmother raising grandchildren: a phenomenological perspective of marginalized women.

    PubMed

    del Bene, Susan B

    2010-08-01

    More African American grandmothers are becoming caregivers for their grandchildren when the parents are unable or unwilling to provide care. This qualitative study used hermeneutic phenomenology based on in-dept interviews with 15 African American women who have assumed the role of caregivers. The following themes, with subthemes emerged regarding this new role for the grandmothers: Finding a Voice to Match Medical Needs, The Role of the Confidante: The Power of the Group, The Relationship with the Biological Parents, and Legal Issues. These finding provide rich understand. These findings provide rich understanding of the African American women and the challenges they face related to culture, race, lack of political voice and power, and limited resources--in essence, the impact of marginalization in society. The underlying point is the potential impact on this population and the degree to which the health profession can draw on an interdisciplinary model to frame, analyze and dress future health care problems in marginalized African American women.

  9. "Understanding Things from Within". A Husserlian Phenomenological Approach to Doing Educational Research and Inquiring about Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Creely, Edwin

    2018-01-01

    This article describes a phenomenological approach to doing educational inquiry and understanding learning. Working within the qualitative tradition, the research is conceived as 'narrow and deep', intimate research that focuses definitively on internality and on first-hand experiences of learning. The theoretical background for doing…

  10. Servanthood as Love, Relationships, and Power: A Heideggerian Hermeneutic Study on the Experiences of Servant-Leaders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nishii, Ayumi

    2017-01-01

    This study is to revisit the meaning of servant leadership, especially what it means to be "the servant as leader" in organizations. In order to appreciate nuances in the multifaceted nature of servanthood, this study engages in a hermeneutic analysis using a Heideggerian hermeneutical methodology, and converges study participants'…

  11. Desperately Seeking Everett: Some thoughts on Hermeneutic Reading

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Solway, David

    2010-01-01

    One of the major problems from which students suffer has to do with reading: reading with diligence, understanding, and, ideally, with the pleasure that attends discovery. Many students have long been hermeneutical-readers-of-a-sort. The problem has deep roots in a widely diffused media and technocyber environment that thins down and disperses the…

  12. "I Am Different from Other Women in the World": The Experiences of Saudi Arabian Women Studying Online in International Master Programmes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Szilagyi, Annamaria

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents findings from a qualitative study that investigated seven female Saudi Arabian students of the University of Liverpool's online Masters programmes. Qualitative, first-person research methods and hermeneutic phenomenology were chosen for the analysis and interpretation of transcripts (Langeveld, 1983; van Manen, 1997; Creswell,…

  13. Toward a Critical Hermeneutical Approach of Human Rights Education: Universal Ideals, Contextual Realities and Teachers' Difficulties

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zembylas, Michalinos; Charalambous, Panayiota; Charalambous, Constadina; Lesta, Stalo

    2017-01-01

    The present paper takes the approach of critical hermeneutics in human rights education (HRE) that has been developed theoretically and tries to operationalize it in pedagogical practice. In particular, a group of Greek-Cypriot teachers were trained in a series of workshops on how critical hermeneutical approach (CHA) could be taught in the…

  14. Listening to the Otherness of the Other: Envisioning Listening Based on a Hermeneutical Reading of Lévinas

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koskinen, Camilla A.-L.; Lindström, Unni Å.

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this article is to elucidate the essence of listening through a hermeneutical reading of the works of philosopher Emmanuel Lévinas. This research is grounded in the human scientific caring tradition that is founded on an ethical order and explicitly theoretical framework. Listening as an ethical bearing is interpreted as a desire to…

  15. The Domain-Specificity of Creativity: Insights from New Phenomenology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Julmi, Christian; Scherm, Ewald

    2015-01-01

    The question of the domain-specificity of creativity represents one of the key questions in creativity research. This article contributes to the discussion by applying insights from "new phenomenology," which is a phenomenological movement from Germany initiated by philosopher Hermann Schmitz. The findings of new phenomenology suggest…

  16. Misconceptions Underplay Western Ways of Musicking: A Hermeneutic Investigation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ruddock, Eve E.

    2017-01-01

    This paper draws on a hermeneutic project to reflect on culturally developed notions that distance individuals from their intrinsic musicality. Participant experience offers insight into misconceptions of human musicality in Western communities where unrecognised cultural directives label musical beings as either musical or non-musical. Embedded…

  17. Sport Sciences and the Promise of Phenomenology: Philosophy, Method, and Insight.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kerry, Daniel S.; Armour, Kathleen M.

    2000-01-01

    Examines how phenomenology might make a more significant contribution to knowledge and understanding within sport-related research. The paper discusses the philosophical roots of phenomenology; highlights the key contributions of and differences between Husserl and Heidegger; examines phenomenology as philosophy and phenomenology as method; and…

  18. Mindfulness and the Beginning Teacher

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bernay, Ross S.

    2014-01-01

    This article reviews a hermeneutic phenomenological study of five beginning teachers who were introduced to mindfulness during their initial teacher education programme. The participants kept fortnightly journals and engaged in three interviews with the researcher to assess the benefits of using mindfulness during the first year of teaching. The…

  19. The Identification of Four Characteristics of Children's Spirituality in Australian Catholic Primary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hyde, Brendan

    2008-01-01

    In taking its theoretical impetus from hermeneutic phenomenology, the qualitative research reported in this paper aimed to identify characteristics of children's spirituality in Australian Catholic primary schools. The videotaped life expressions of two groups of six children in each of three Australian Catholic primary schools formed the texts of…

  20. Spirituality Matters: Spirituality and the Community College Leader

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walker, Monica Windley; McPhail, Christine Johnson

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore community college president and chancellor perceptions of the phenomenon of spirituality and the role of spirituality in their leadership style. A hermeneutic phenomenological research design guided this study. A total of 14 community college presidents and chancellors were purposely selected and…

  1. Toward a Hermeneutical Theory of International Human Rights Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Daraweesh, Fuad; Snauwaert, Dale T.

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this essay is to articulate and defend the epistemological foundations of international human rights education from the perspective of a hermeneutical interpretive methodology. Fuad Al-Daraweesh and Dale Snauwaert argue here that this methodology potentially alleviates the challenges that face the cross-cultural implementation of…

  2. Why do some women choose to freebirth in the UK? An interpretative phenomenological study.

    PubMed

    Feeley, Claire; Thomson, Gill

    2016-03-21

    Freebirthing or unassisted birth is the active choice made by a woman to birth without a trained professional present, even where there is access to maternity provision. This is a radical childbirth choice, which has potential morbidity and mortality risks for mother and baby. While a number of studies have explored women's freebirth experiences, there has been no research undertaken in the UK. The aim of this study was to explore and identify what influenced women's decision to freebirth in a UK context. An interpretive phenomenological approach was adopted. Advertisements were posted on freebirth websites, and ten women participated in the study by completing a narrative (n = 9) and/or taking part in an in-depth interview (n = 10). Data analysis was carried out using interpretative methods informed by Heidegger and Gadamer's hermeneutic-phenomenological concepts. Three main themes emerged from the data. Contextualising herstory describes how the participants' backgrounds (personal and/or childbirth related) influenced their decision making. Diverging paths of decision making provides more detailed insights into how and why women's different backgrounds and experiences of childbirth and maternity care influenced their decision to freebirth. Converging path of decision making, outlines the commonalities in women's narratives in terms of how they sought to validate their decision to freebirth, such as through self-directed research, enlisting the support of others and conceptualising risk. The UK based midwifery philosophy of woman-centred care that tailors care to individual needs is not always carried out, leaving women to feel disillusioned, unsafe and opting out of any form of professionalised care for their births. Maternity services need to provide support for women who have experienced a previous traumatic birth. Midwives also need to help restore relationships with women, and co-create birth plans that enable women to be active agents in their birthing

  3. Theological Media Literacy Education and Hermeneutic Analysis of Soviet Audiovisual Anti-Religious Media Texts in Students' Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fedorov, Alexander

    2015-01-01

    This article realized the Russian way of theological media education literacy and hermeneutic analysis of specific examples of Soviet anti-religious audiovisual media texts: a study of the process of interpretation of these media texts, cultural and historical factors influencing the views of the media agency/authors. The hermeneutic analysis…

  4. Hermeneutics and an Understanding of Children's Electronic Musical Compositions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reynolds, Nicholas

    2012-01-01

    A yearlong project into the electronic compositions and compositional approaches of children led the author to investigate theoretical frameworks to support an analysis process that accommodated the capacity to re-live and reinterpret data through the same technologies that were used to create it. An exploration of the hermeneutical approach to…

  5. Goal setting with type 2 diabetes: a hermeneutic analysis of the experiences of diabetes educators.

    PubMed

    Fleming, Susan E; Boyd, Angela; Ballejos, Miriam; Kynast-Gales, Susan A; Malemute, Charlene L; Armstrong Shultz, Jill; Vandermause, Roxanne K

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explicate and interpret common experiences of diabetes educators (DEs) with patient goal setting for patients with type 2 diabetes in diabetes education. Transcripts (n = 10) from semi-structured interviews were analyzed using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to more deeply explore the accounts of DEs' goal setting with patients with type 2 diabetes. The overarching pattern that emerged was "Striking a Balance," which subsumed 4 subthemes: Applying Theoretical-Practical Principles When Setting Goals, Identifying Idealistic-Realistic Expectations, Creating Patient-Educator-Centered Plans, and Readying-Living With Goal Setting. The pattern, "Striking a Balance," revealed a common meaning of DEs as experiences requiring balance and nuance in goal setting with patients. The results of this study combined with the tenets of the self-determination theory can provide the DEs with real-life exemplars and a theoretical framework to encourage their patients to self-manage, increase intrinsic motivation, and improve adherence related to their lifestyle changes and glycemic control. DEs, as facilitators of change, can implement these changes with flexible and reciprocal activities with their patients. The DEs owned these activities and they are: "building the bond," "sharing the session," "readying for change," "sending them home," and "bringing them back."

  6. Exemplarity in Mathematics Education: from a Romanticist Viewpoint to a Modern Hermeneutical One

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Patronis, Tasos; Spanos, Dimitris

    2013-08-01

    This paper proposes a setting of exemplarity different from the already known one, which is basically a Romanticist philosophical setting. Our general aim is to describe and explore the nature of some exemplary themes and interpretive models in advanced mathematics teaching and learning. In order to do so, we move from Romanticism towards the viewpoint of Modern Hermeneutics, by applying ideas appearing mainly in Gadamer and Ricoeur. We use this new setting as a philosophical framework, to interpret some results from two didactical research studies that have already appeared on infinitesimals.

  7. The experiences of support persons of people newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis: an interpretative phenomenological study.

    PubMed

    Strickland, Karen; Worth, Allison; Kennedy, Catriona

    2015-12-01

    This study explores the experience of the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis for the support person and identifies the impact on their lives. At the time of diagnosis, the support person may not be readily identified in a traditional caring role; however, the diagnosis itself brings with it the possibility of changes to the roles in the relationship and possible consequences for biographical construction. A hermeneutic phenomenological study. A convenience sample of nine support persons was interviewed between December 2008-March 2010. The data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The participants in this study were often not readily identifiable as 'carers'; however, the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis implied a shift towards a caring role at some point in the future. The uncertainty surrounding the nature and progression of the condition left this identity hanging, incomplete and as such contributed to a liminal way of being. This paper reveals that biographical disruption is not limited to the person diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis but that the support person also undergoes a transition to their sense of self to that of 'anticipatory carer'. The findings provide insight into the biographical and emotional impact of Multiple Sclerosis on the support persons early in the development of the condition. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Embodied Civic Education: The Corporeality of a Civil Body Politic

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Phillips, Donna Paoletti

    2014-01-01

    This study explores the lived experience of democratic civic education for middle school students. Grounded in the tradition of hermeneutic phenomenology as guided by Heidegger (1962), Gadamer (1960/2003), Casey (1993), and Levinas (1961/2004), among others, the framework for conducting action-sensitive research, as described by van Manen (2003),…

  9. Foundations for a human science of nursing: Gadamer, Laing, and the hermeneutics of caring.

    PubMed

    Rolfe, Gary

    2015-07-01

    The professions of nursing and nurse education are currently experiencing a crisis of confidence, particularly in the UK, where the Francis Report and other recent reviews have highlighted a number of cases of nurses who no longer appear willing or able to 'care'. The popular press, along with some elements of the nursing profession, has placed the blame for these failures firmly on the academy and particularly on the relatively recent move to all-graduate status in England for pre-registration student nurses. This has come to be known in the UK as the 'too-posh-to-wash' argument, that there is an incommensurability between being educated to degree level and performing basic nursing tasks. I will argue in this paper that the diagnosis of the problem is substantively correct, but the formulation and the prescription are misguided and dangerous. I will suggest that the growing emphasis on research-based and evidence-based practice is the logical conclusion of an inappropriate scientific paradigm for nursing which is underpinned by the social sciences, by technical rationality, and by a focus on people. In contrast, I will suggest that a more fruitful way of thinking about and practising nursing and nurse education is to consider it as a human science with a focus on persons in which evidence for practice derives largely from practice itself. The history of the idea of a human science is traced from its roots in nineteenth century hermeneutics to the work of Gadamer and R.D. Laing in the 1960s, and I attempt to imagine a paradigm for nursing practice, scholarship, and education based on Laing's 'existential-phenomenological' approach with a focus on the endeavour to understand and relate to individual persons rather than to make broad prescriptions for practice based on statistical and other generalizations. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. "Where the Spirit Leads"--The Development of Pentecostal Hermeneutics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas, John Christopher

    2009-01-01

    This article traces the development of Pentecostal hermeneutics by focusing on the touchstones in this emerging discipline. Whilst the literature devoted to this topic is enlarging at an astounding rate, and not all worthy pieces can be cited, this article focuses especially on approaches that appear to be most constructive. This study acquaints…

  11. Advising with Understanding: Considering Hermeneutic Theory in Academic Advising

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Champlin-Scharff, Sarah

    2010-01-01

    One might say that good advising requires understanding of those being advised. Yet, the way to achieve an accurate understanding of each advisee is unclear. An introduction to the field of hermeneutics, including an outline of Martin Heidegger's notion of human being and existential understanding, is presented to offer advisors a new opportunity…

  12. Unspoken phenomena: using the photovoice method to enrich phenomenological inquiry.

    PubMed

    Plunkett, Robyn; Leipert, Beverly D; Ray, Susan L

    2013-06-01

    Photovoice is a powerful method that is gaining momentum in nursing research. As a relatively new method in nursing science, the situatedness of photovoice within or alongside various research methodologies in a single study remains in a stage of early development. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the photovoice method as a means to elicit phenomenological data when researching the lived experience. While the foundational bases of phenomenology and photovoice differ substantially, the argument presented in this paper suggests that the photovoice method can be successfully used in phenomenological inquiry provided that significant rigour checks are pursued. This includes reflecting upon the origins and understandings of both methodology and method to promote methodological congruency. Data collection and analysis approaches that contribute to phenomenological inquiry using the photovoice method in addition to rigour and ethical considerations are discussed. The use of data generated from photovoice in phenomenological inquiry may fill a void of understanding furnished by limitations of traditional phenomenological inquiry and of spoken language and can enhance understanding of the lived experience, which may not always be best understood by words alone. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Looking Inward: Philosophical and Methodological Perspectives on Phenomenological Self-Reflection.

    PubMed

    Pool, Natalie M

    2018-07-01

    Engaging in early and ongoing self-reflection during interpretive phenomenological research is critical for ensuring trustworthiness or rigor. However, the lack of guidelines and clarity about the role of self-reflection in this methodology creates both theoretical and procedural confusion. The purpose of this article is to describe key philosophical underpinnings, characteristics, and hallmarks of the process of self-reflection in interpretive phenomenological investigation and to provide a list of guidelines that facilitate this process. Excerpts from an interpretive phenomenological study are used to illustrate characteristics of quality self-reflection. The guidelines are intended to be particularly beneficial for novice researchers who may find self-reflective writing to be daunting and unclear. Facilitating use of self-reflection may strengthen both the interpretive phenomenological body of work as well as that of all qualitative research.

  14. Adults Living with Limited Literacy and Chronic Illness: Patient Education Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    King, Judy; Taylor, Maurice C.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate how Canadian adults living with limited literacy and chronic illness made meaning of their patient education experiences. The study used a hermeneutic phenomenological research design and employed three data sources over a nine-month period. Data was interpreted and analyzed as it was collected,…

  15. Toward a Phenomenological Account of Embodied Subjectivity in Autism.

    PubMed

    Boldsen, Sofie

    2018-06-18

    Sensorimotor research is currently challenging the dominant understanding of autism as a deficit in the cognitive ability to 'mindread'. This marks an emerging shift in autism research from a focus on the structure and processes of the mind to a focus on autistic behavior as grounded in the body. Contemporary researchers in sensorimotor differences in autism call for a reconciliation between the scientific understanding of autism and the first-person experience of autistic individuals. I argue that fulfilling this ambition requires a phenomenological understanding of the body as it presents itself in ordinary experience, namely as the subject of experience rather than a physical object. On this basis, I investigate how the phenomenology of Maurice Merleau-Ponty can be employed as a frame of understanding for bodily experience in autism. Through a phenomenological analysis of Tito Mukhopadhyay's autobiographical work, How can I talk if my lips don't move (2009), I illustrate the relevance and potential of phenomenological philosophy in autism research, arguing that this approach enables a deeper understanding of bodily and subjective experiences related to autism.

  16. Out of School Learning Environments in Social Studies Education: A Phenomenological Research with Teacher Candidates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Topçu, Ersin

    2017-01-01

    In this study, it was aimed to determine the remarks of teacher candidates on the place and importance of out of school learning environments in Social Studies education. Phenomenological method, which is one of the qualitative research designs, was used in this study. The work group of the study consists of 73 teacher candidates who conduct out…

  17. Amidst the Test: The Lived Experience of Teaching "under" No Child Left Behind

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Woodward, Barbara Agard

    2011-01-01

    In this hermeneutic phenomenological inquiry I explore the lived experience of public school teachers teaching amidst the federal law entitled No Child Left Behind. My research question wonders, "What is the lived experience of teaching under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB)?" My exploration relies heavily upon the work of Ted…

  18. A Conceptual Study of Spirituality in Selected Writings of Émile Jaques-Dalcroze

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Habron, John; van der Merwe, Liesl

    2017-01-01

    Several authors have noted that one of Émile Jaques-Dalcroze's aims was to dissolve the mind-body dualism, typical of Cartesianism. However, there has been little research on the spirit-body connection, as it appears in Jaques-Dalcroze's writings. The purpose of this document analysis is to understand how a hermeneutic phenomenological model for…

  19. A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study of the Experiences of Female African American Undergraduate Engineering Students at a Predominantly White and an Historically Black Institution

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frillman, Sharron Ann

    2011-01-01

    This phenomenological study examined the experiences of twelve female African Americans enrolled as fulltime undergraduate engineering students at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, an historically Black university, and seven female African Americans enrolled as undergraduate engineering students at Purdue University in…

  20. Social Phenomenological Analysis as a Research Method in Art Education: Developing an Empirical Model for Understanding Gallery Talks

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hofmann, Fabian

    2016-01-01

    Social phenomenological analysis is presented as a research method to study gallery talks or guided tours in art museums. The research method is based on the philosophical considerations of Edmund Husserl and sociological/social science concepts put forward by Max Weber and Alfred Schuetz. Its starting point is the everyday lifeworld; the…

  1. Phenomenology: A Review of the Literature

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Randles, Clint

    2012-01-01

    This article is a review of relevant literature on the use of phenomenology as a research methodology in education research, with a focus on music education research. The review is organized as follows: (a) general education, (b) music research, (c) music education research, (d) dissertations, (e) important figures, (f) themes, and (g) the future.…

  2. Workshop on Friction: Understanding and Addressing Students' Difficulties in Learning Science Through a Hermeneutical Perspective

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ha, Sangwoo; Lee, Gyoungho; Kalman, Calvin S.

    2013-06-01

    Hermeneutics is useful in science and science education by emphasizing the process of understanding. The purpose of this study was to construct a workshop based upon hermeneutical principles and to interpret students' learning in the workshop through a hermeneutical perspective. When considering the history of Newtonian mechanics, it could be considered that there are two methods of approaching Newtonian mechanics. One method is called the `prediction approach', and the other is called the `explanation approach'. The `prediction approach' refers to the application of the principles of Newtonian mechanics. We commonly use the prediction approach because its logical process is natural to us. However, its use is correct only when a force, such as gravitation, is exactly known. On the other hand, the `explanation approach' could be used when the nature of a force is not exactly known. In the workshop, students read a short text offering contradicting ideas about whether to analyze a friction situation using the explanation approach or the prediction approach. Twenty-two college students taking an upper-level mechanics course wrote their ideas about the text. The participants then discussed their ideas within six groups, each composed of three or four students. Through the group discussion, students were able to clarify their preconceptions about friction, and they responded to the group discussion positively. Students started to think about their learning from a holistic perspective. As students thought and discussed the friction problems in the manner of hermeneutical circles, they moved toward a better understanding of friction.

  3. Interpretive and Critical Phenomenological Crime Studies: A Model Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miner-Romanoff, Karen

    2012-01-01

    The critical and interpretive phenomenological approach is underutilized in the study of crime. This commentary describes this approach, guided by the question, "Why are interpretive phenomenological methods appropriate for qualitative research in criminology?" Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to describe a model of the interpretive…

  4. Tested in the Faith Community: The Congregational Hermeneutics of the Mennonites.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Siebert, Bradley G.

    The social epistemic that the Mennonite-Anabaptists have been cultivating as their hermeneutic method for 470 years focuses on local congregations as discourse communities of faith, promoting egalitarian lay participation equal to that of members with formal ministries. "The Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective" features a…

  5. Feminist and queer phenomenology: a framework for perinatal nursing practice, research, and education for advancing lesbian health.

    PubMed

    Goldberg, Lisa; Ryan, Annette; Sawchyn, Jody

    2009-06-01

    A queer phenomenology would involve an orientation toward queer, a way to inhabit the world that gives "support" to those whose lives and loves make them appear oblique, strange, and out of place. (Ahmed, 2006) The climate of the health care system is a reflection of society, which often hesitates to support individuals who choose paths other than those, that are heteronormatively constructed. Consequences of such limited directedness include fear, misunderstanding, avoidance, and discrimination on the part of nurses toward individuals involved in same-sex partnerships (Goldberg, 2005/2006). A feminist and queer phenomenological framework offers an approach for perinatal nurses to advance lesbian health and, in particular, lesbian couples' experiences of birthing, in the context of nursing practice, research, and education.

  6. The applied philosopher-scientist: Intersections among phenomenological research, nursing science, and theory as a basis for practice aimed at facilitating boys' healing from being bullied.

    PubMed

    Willis, Danny G; Grace, Pamela J

    2011-01-01

    This article uses an exemplar of phenomenological research of middle school boys, experiences of being bullied as applied philosophy and science to illuminate the intersection of the moral and scientific realms for theory-oriented research and practice. As a consequence, a clear foundation for advancing nursing science and envisioning innovative nursing practice with boys who experience being bullied is provided. Included is a weaving together of phenomenological perspective for research and practice, Roger's (nursing) Science of Unitary Human Beings (SUHB), and SUHB-derived middle range theories of self-transcendence and power.

  7. Situated phenomenology and biological systems: Eastern and Western synthesis.

    PubMed

    Schroeder, Marcin J; Vallverdú, Jordi

    2015-12-01

    Phenomenology was born with the mission to give foundations for science of experience and to open consciousness to scientific study. The influence of phenomenology initiated in the works of Husserl and continued in a wide range of works of others was immense, but mainly within the confines of philosophy and the humanities. The actual attempts to develop a scientific discipline of the study of consciousness and to carry out research on cognition and consciousness were always based on the methods of traditional science in which elimination of the subjective has been always a primary tenet. Thus, focus was mainly on neurological correlates of conscious phenomena. The present paper is an attempt to initiate an extension and revision of phenomenological methodology with the use of philosophical and scientific experience and knowledge accumulated in a century of inquiry and research in relevant disciplines. The question which disciplines are relevant is crucial and our answer is innovative. The range of disciplines involved here is from information science and studies of computation, up to cultural psychology and the studies of philosophical traditions of the East. Concepts related to information and computation studies provide a general conceptual framework free from the limitations of particular languages and of linguistic analysis. This conceptual framework is extending the original perspective of phenomenology to issues of modern technology and science. Cultural psychology gives us tools to root out what in phenomenology was considered universal for humanity, but was a result of European ethnocentrism. Most important here is the contrast between individualistic and collectivistic cultural determinants of consciousness. Finally, philosophical tradition of the East gives alternatives in seeking solutions for fundamental problems. This general outline of the research methodology is illustrated by an example of its use when phenomenology is studied within the conceptual

  8. Phenomenological aspects of the cognitive rumination construct.

    PubMed

    Meyer, Leonardo Fernandez; Taborda, José Geraldo Vernet; da Costa, Fábio Antônio; Soares, Ana Luiza Alfaya Galego; Mecler, Kátia; Valença, Alexandre Martins

    2015-01-01

    To evaluate the importance of phenomenological aspects of the cognitive rumination (CR) construct in current empirical psychiatric research. We searched SciELO, Scopus, ScienceDirect, MEDLINE, OneFile (GALE), SpringerLink, Cambridge Journals and Web of Science between February and March of 2014 for studies whose title and topic included the following keywords: cognitive rumination; rumination response scale; and self-reflection. The inclusion criteria were: empirical clinical study; CR as the main object of investigation; and study that included a conceptual definition of CR. The studies selected were published in English in biomedical journals in the last 10 years. Our phenomenological analysis was based on Karl Jaspers' General Psychopathology. Most current empirical studies adopt phenomenological cognitive elements in conceptual definitions. However, these elements do not seem to be carefully examined and are indistinctly understood as objective empirical factors that may be measured, which may contribute to misunderstandings about CR, erroneous interpretations of results and problematic theoretical models. Empirical studies fail when evaluating phenomenological aspects of the cognitive elements of the CR construct. Psychopathology and phenomenology may help define the characteristics of CR elements and may contribute to their understanding and hierarchical organization as a construct. A review of the psychopathology principles established by Jasper may clarify some of these issues.

  9. Self-disturbances in Schizophrenia: History, Phenomenology, and Relevant Findings From Research on Metacognition

    PubMed Central

    Mishara, Aaron L.

    2014-01-01

    With a tradition of examining self-disturbances (Ichstörungen) in schizophrenia, phenomenological psychiatry studies the person’s subjective experience without imposing theoretical agenda on what is reported. Although this tradition offers promising interface with current neurobiological models of schizophrenia, both the concept of Ichstörung and its history are not well understood. In this article, we discuss the meaning of Ichstörung, the role it played in the development of the concept of schizophrenia, and recent research on metacognition that allows for the quantitative study of the link between self-disturbance and outcome in schizophrenia. Phenomenological psychiatrists such as Blankenburg, Binswanger, and Conrad interpreted the Ichstörung as disturbed relationship to self and others, thus challenging recent efforts to interpret self-disturbance as diminished pure passive self-affection, which putatively “explains” schizophrenia and its various symptoms. Narrative is a reflective, embodied process, which requires a dynamic shifting of perspectives which, when compromised, may reflect disrupted binding of the components of self-experience. The Metacognition Assessment Scale—abbreviated as MAS-A—suggests that persons with schizophrenia tend to produce narratives with reductions in the binding processes required to produce an integrated, embodied self within narrated life stories, and in interactive relationships with others. PMID:24319117

  10. Teachers' Reflective Practice in the Context of Twenty-First Century Learning: Applying Vagle's Five-Component Post-Intentional Plan for Phenomenological Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Benade, Leon

    2016-01-01

    Vagle's "post-intentional phenomenological research approach" applies post-structural thinking to intentionality. I apply his five-component research process, reflect on some initial findings of semi-structured interview discussions with 25 participants, and consider a meta-reflection by some participants on those findings. My larger…

  11. Recovery from Psychosis: A Phenomenological Inquiry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nixon, Gary; Hagen, Brad; Peters, Tracey

    2010-01-01

    While mainstream psychiatry tends to view psychosis as an enduring and chronic condition, there is growing interest in the possibility of recovery from psychosis. A phenomenological research method was utilized in interviewing 17 individuals who all self-identified as being in recovery from psychosis. The research question was, "What was the lived…

  12. “Just one animal among many?” Existential phenomenology, ethics, and stem cell research

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Stem cell research and associated or derivative biotechnologies are proceeding at a pace that has left bioethics behind as a discipline that is more or less reactionary to their developments. Further, much of the available ethical deliberation remains determined by the conceptual framework of late modern metaphysics and the correlative ethical theories of utilitarianism and deontology. Lacking, to any meaningful extent, is a sustained engagement with ontological and epistemological critiques, such as with “postmodern” thinking like that of Heidegger’s existential phenomenology. Some basic “Heideggerian” conceptual strategies are reviewed here as a way of remedying this deficiency and adding to ethical deliberation about current stem cell research practices. PMID:20521117

  13. Phenomenology and homeopathy.

    PubMed

    Whitmarsh, Tom

    2013-07-01

    There is a great overlap between the way of seeing the world in clinical homeopathy and in the technical philosophical system known as phenomenology. A knowledge of phenomenologic principles reveals Hahnemann to have been an unwitting phenomenologist. The ideas of phenomenology as applied to medicine show that homeopathy is the ideal medical system to fulfill the goals of coming ever closer to true patient concerns and experience of illness. Copyright © 2013 The Faculty of Homeopathy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. A Phenomenological Exploration of Adoption

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baltimore, Diana L.; Crase, Sedahlia Jasper

    2009-01-01

    This qualitative analysis explored children's and adults' experiences with adoption. We used phenomenological methodology and individually interviewed 25 participants and included adoptive mothers and fathers, and their children, each adopted before 18 months of age. Two research questions guided the data analysis: (a) What are children's and…

  15. Qualitative inquiry and the debate between hermeneutics and critical theory.

    PubMed

    Shaw, James A; DeForge, Ryan T

    2014-11-01

    Two issues have been central to ongoing disputes about judgments of quality in qualitative inquiry: (a) the ways in which paradigmatic orientations are understood to guide procedural decisions and (b) the meaning and intelligibility of paradigmatic incommensurability. In this article, we address these two key issues through an exploration of the debates between hermeneutics and critical social theory, including the exchanges between Hans-Georg Gadamer and Jurgen Habermas, and between Richard Rorty and Thomas McCarthy. We suggest that the key epistemological issue addressed in these debates is the nature of interpretation, separating the two philosophical camps based on beliefs about whether foundational knowledge is possible to achieve. We conclude the article by discussing the implications of these different positions for beliefs about quality in qualitative inquiry, and comment on the role of judgment in assessments of the value and quality of different approaches to qualitative research. © The Author(s) 2014.

  16. Is there nursing phenomenology after Paley? Essay on rigorous reading.

    PubMed

    Petrovskaya, Olga

    2014-01-01

    At the bedside, nurses are expected to be precise when they read indications on screens and on the bodies of patients and decide on the meaning of words framed by the context of acute care. In academia, although there is no incident report to fill when we misread or misrepresent complex philosophical ideas, the consequences of inaccurate reading include misplaced epistemological claims and poor scholarship. A long and broad convention of nursing phenomenological research, in its various forms, claims a philosophical grounding in the ideas of Husserl, Heidegger, and other thinkers. But for nearly two decades, nurse phenomenologists' knowledge claims have been challenged by well-informed criticisms, most notably by John Paley. At the heart of criticism lies an observation that Continental phenomenological thought is misrepresented in many nursing sources and that nursing phenomenology, both descriptive and interpretive, cannot appeal to the authority of either Husserl or Heidegger. Taking these criticisms seriously, I am asking, Is phenomenology after Paley possible? If misreading seems to be an issue, how can - or should - we read rigorously? My thinking through these questions is influenced by the ideas of Jacques Derrida. Under a condition of a play of language, of Derridian différance, when meaning is never self-identical and never fully arrives, I suggest that one has to negotiate meanings through reading for differences. I develop this idea in relation to the methodological conventions of phenomenological nursing research and argue for a careful rereading of the whole field of phenomenological nursing research. Such rereading presupposes and necessitates interdisciplinary engagement between nursing and the humanities and interpretive social sciences. Greater familiarity with research practices of those disciplines that stress theoretical and writing rigour might make visible the limits of nursing research approaches and their quality criteria. An understanding

  17. Phenomenology and qualitative research: Amedeo Giorgi's hermetic epistemology.

    PubMed

    Paley, John

    2018-04-11

    Amedeo Giorgi has published a review article devoted to Phenomenology as Qualitative Research: A Critical Analysis of Meaning Attribution. However, anyone reading this article, but unfamiliar with the book, will get a distorted view of what it is about, whom it is addressed to, what it seeks to achieve and how it goes about presenting its arguments. Not mildly distorted, in need of the odd correction here and there, but systematically misrepresented. The article is a study in misreading. Giorgi misreads the book's mise en scène; he misreads its narrative arc; he misreads individual arguments; he misreads short, simple passages; he misreads the philosophy of the science literature; he misreads his own data; he misreads the title; he misreads the blurb; he misreads the acknowledgements. In addition, there are serious failures of scholarship (ironically, he demonstrates how unacquainted he is with the relevant literature at the very moment he is accusing me of being ill-informed). In this reply, I provide several examples of these errors, but my primary aim is to understand why Giorgi's misreading is as ubiquitous as it is. To this end, I explain his mistakes by reference to the hermetic epistemology within which he is confined. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Learning to reason: a journey of professional socialisation.

    PubMed

    Ajjawi, Rola; Higgs, Joy

    2008-05-01

    One of the key attributes that health professional students and new graduates develop during professional socialisation is clinical reasoning ability. Clinical reasoning is a complex skill that is essential for professional practice. There is limited research specifically addressing how physiotherapists learn to reason in the workplace. The research reported in this paper addressed this gap by investigating how experienced physiotherapists learned to reason in daily practice. This learning journey was examined in the context of professional socialisation. A hermeneutic phenomenological research study was conducted using multiple methods of data collection including observation, written reflective exercises and repeated, semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using phenomenological and hermeneutic strategies involving in-depth, iterative reading and interpretation to identify themes in the data. Twelve physiotherapists with clinical and supervisory experience were recruited from the areas of cardiopulmonary, musculoskeletal and neurological physiotherapy to participate in this study. Participants' learning journeys were diverse, although certain episodes of learning were common or similar. Role models, mentors and colleagues were found to be influential in the development of reasoning. An important implication for the professional socialisation of physiotherapists and other health professionals and for those involved in practice development is the need to recognise and enhance the role of practice communities in the explicit learning of clinical reasoning skills.

  19. Children's Spirituality with Particular Reference to a Norwegian Context: Some Hermeneutical Reflections

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sagberg, Sturla

    2008-01-01

    Spirituality has become an issue in many domains of the Norwegian society, but this is not reflected in public education. This paper discusses why this is so, and suggests some hermeneutical approaches to understanding spirituality that can include pre-school children's spirituality, with particular reference to a Norwegian context. Central to…

  20. Experiences of sexuality and intimacy in terminal illness: a phenomenological study.

    PubMed

    Taylor, Bridget

    2014-05-01

    There is a paucity of research considering sexuality and intimacy in palliative care. It is therefore unclear whether palliative care professionals have a role in addressing these issues with patients and their partners. To understand people's experiences of sexuality and intimacy when living with a terminal illness. A Heideggerian hermeneutic (interpretive) phenomenological study was undertaken. Data were collected using one-to-one conversational interviews. An iterative approach to analysing the narratives was used to reveal shared meanings. A total of 27 patients and 14 partners of patients with either cancer or motor neuron disease were recruited from outpatient, community and hospice inpatient units. All participants were aware that the illness was life-limiting. When someone is living with a life-limiting illness, their coupled relationship is also dying. In their being-towards-death-of-the-couple, patients and partners of patients with motor neuron disease and terminal cancer experienced connecting and disconnecting within their coupled relationship. Becoming-apart-as-a-couple was experienced as loss of spontaneity, as lack of reciprocity and as rejection. This was influenced by a range of factors including medical treatments, disfigurement and the disabling effects of equipment. Some participants experienced re-connecting through becoming-closer-as-a-couple, although this was not always sustained. This study sheds new light on people's experiences of sexuality and intimacy when living with a terminal illness. The ethos of holistic care requires palliative care professionals to provide opportunities for patients and their partners to discuss any concerns they might have about their coupled relationship and to understand the meanings symptoms have for them.

  1. Perceptual Anomalies in Schizophrenia: Integrating Phenomenology and Cognitive Neuroscience

    PubMed Central

    Uhlhaas, Peter J.; Mishara, Aaron L.

    2007-01-01

    From phenomenological and experimental perspectives, research in schizophrenia has emphasized deficits in “higher” cognitive functions, including attention, executive function, as well as memory. In contrast, general consensus has viewed dysfunctions in basic perceptual processes to be relatively unimportant in the explanation of more complex aspects of the disorder, including changes in self-experience and the development of symptoms such as delusions. We present evidence from phenomenology and cognitive neuroscience that changes in the perceptual field in schizophrenia may represent a core impairment. After introducing the phenomenological approach to perception (Husserl, the Gestalt School), we discuss the views of Paul Matussek, Klaus Conrad, Ludwig Binswanger, and Wolfgang Blankenburg on perception in schizophrenia. These 4 psychiatrists describe changes in perception and automatic processes that are related to the altered experience of self. The altered self-experience, in turn, may be responsible for the emergence of delusions. The phenomenological data are compatible with current research that conceptualizes dysfunctions in perceptual processing as a deficit in the ability to combine stimulus elements into coherent object representations. Relationships of deficits in perceptual organization to cognitive and social dysfunction as well as the possible neurobiological mechanisms are discussed. PMID:17118973

  2. Parental E-nvolvement: A Phenomenological Research on Electronic Parental Involvement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sad, Süleyman Nihat; Konca, Ahmet Sami; Özer, Niyazi; Acar, Feride

    2016-01-01

    This phenomenological study explored parental e-nvolvement (or electronic parental involvement), defined as "parental efforts to plan, engage in, support, monitor and/or assess the learning experiences of their children either at home or at school predominantly using technological devices and media." Data were gathered from 23…

  3. Hermeneutics, Accreting Receptions, Hypermedia: A Tool for Reference Versus a Tool for Instruction.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nissan, Ephraim; Rossler, Isaac; Weiss, Hillel

    1997-01-01

    Provides a select overview of hypertext and information retrieval tools that support traditional Jewish learning and discusses a project in instructional hypermedia that is applied to teaching, teacher training, and self-instruction in given Bible passages. Highlights include accretion of receptions, hermeneutics, literary appropriations, and…

  4. Walking the Woods: The Lived Experience of Sexual Assault Survival for Women in College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Monahan-Kreishman, Mollie M.

    2012-01-01

    This phenomenological study explores the lived experience of sexual assault survival for women in college. Through a grounding in the philosophy of hermeneutic phenomenology (Gadamer, 1960/2000; Heidegger, 1927/1962, 1968, 1928/1998, 1971/2001, 1950/2002), this work uncovers the lives of six sexual assault survivors who lived through rape during…

  5. Phenomenological Studies in Micromechanics

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-09-30

    DTIO OELECTE NOV 0 9 1 i FINAL REPORT OFFICEF NAVAL RSEARCH Contract No. N00014-86-K-0255 PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDIES IN MICROMECHANICS 0. Post, and R...9 Improvement of Experimental Techniques.................. 10 *Summary of Research Progress ........................... 11 LIST OF...15 Q 9%. INI C RA&I P ’-zC TAB3 -:o * A,1 EXECUTIVE SIJOARY State of the art experimental techniques have been applied to

  6. Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Phenomenology of Auditory Verbal Hallucinations

    PubMed Central

    Woods, Angela; Jones, Nev; Bernini, Marco; Callard, Felicity; Alderson-Day, Ben; Badcock, Johanna C.; Bell, Vaughan; Cook, Chris C. H.; Csordas, Thomas; Humpston, Clara; Krueger, Joel; Larøi, Frank; McCarthy-Jones, Simon; Moseley, Peter; Powell, Hilary; Raballo, Andrea; Smailes, David; Fernyhough, Charles

    2014-01-01

    Despite the recent proliferation of scientific, clinical, and narrative accounts of auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs), the phenomenology of voice hearing remains opaque and undertheorized. In this article, we outline an interdisciplinary approach to understanding hallucinatory experiences which seeks to demonstrate the value of the humanities and social sciences to advancing knowledge in clinical research and practice. We argue that an interdisciplinary approach to the phenomenology of AVH utilizes rigorous and context-appropriate methodologies to analyze a wider range of first-person accounts of AVH at 3 contextual levels: (1) cultural, social, and historical; (2) experiential; and (3) biographical. We go on to show that there are significant potential benefits for voice hearers, clinicians, and researchers. These include (1) informing the development and refinement of subtypes of hallucinations within and across diagnostic categories; (2) “front-loading” research in cognitive neuroscience; and (3) suggesting new possibilities for therapeutic intervention. In conclusion, we argue that an interdisciplinary approach to the phenomenology of AVH can nourish the ethical core of scientific enquiry by challenging its interpretive paradigms, and offer voice hearers richer, potentially more empowering ways to make sense of their experiences. PMID:24903416

  7. Maternal experiences of embodied emotional sensations during breast feeding: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.

    PubMed

    Watkinson, Marcelina; Murray, Craig; Simpson, Jane

    2016-05-01

    the purpose of this study was to explore mothers׳ experiences of embodied emotional sensations during breast feeding and to understand the meaning and consequences that such experiences may have on mothers' sense of self and the relationships they form with their children. a qualitative design was applied to this study as it was judged as the most appropriate approach to this novel field of enquiry. the study was conducted in United Kingdom using a sample of mothers drawn from five different countries from Europe, America and Australia. the sample consisted of 11 mothers who reported experiencing or having experienced negative embodied emotional sensations associated with breast feeding in the past five years. semi-structured interviews were conducted with the mothers and interviews were transcribed to enable the process of data analysis. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA; Smith et al., 2009a, 2009b) was chosen as a method of data analysis, enabling in depth understanding and interpretation of the meaning of mothers' experiences. IPA was chosen due to its idiographic commitment and particular interest in sense-making, phenomenology and hermeneutics. three themes were generated reflecting the multifaceted nature of breast feeding experiences (i) 'Breast feeding: An unexpected trigger of intense embodied emotional sensations incongruent with view of self', (ii) 'Fulfilling maternal expectations and maintaining closeness with the child', (iii) 'Making sense of embodied emotional sensations essential to acceptance and coping'. breast feeding has the potential to trigger a range of conflicting cognitions and emotions in mothers that may impact on how mothers view themselves and relate to their children. increasing awareness about emotional breast feeding experiences and recognising the multifaceted, individual nature of difficulties around breast feeding enables professionals to offer mothers person-centred care and avoid making clinical decisions and

  8. Hermeneutics versus science in psychoanalysis: a resolution to the controversy over the scientific status of psychoanalysis.

    PubMed

    Fusella, Paul

    2014-12-01

    The controversy over the scientific status of psychoanalysis is investigated and a resolution is proposed. The positions held by the hermeneuticists, conveyed through the hermeneutic interpretation of psychoanalysis put forth by Jurgen Habermas and Paul Ricoeur, are reviewed. The views of psychoanalysis as a science held by the philosopher of science Adolf Grünbaum and by American psychoanalyst Robert S. Wallerstein are also considered. Psychoanalysis remains relevant today because it has situated itself among the other disciplines as a hybrid science, not quite a pure hermeneutic on the one hand, and not quite a pure science on the other, while at the same time having proven to be both these things-and in doing so has revolutionized the way we think about human nature.

  9. Hermeneutics of science and multi-gendered science education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ginev, Dimitri Jordan

    2008-11-01

    In this paper, I consider the relevance of the view of cognitive existentialism to a multi-gendered picture of science education. I am opposing both the search for a particular feminist standpoint epistemology and the reduction of philosophy of science to cultural studies of scientific practices as championed by supporters of postmodern political feminism. In drawing on the theory of gender plurality and the conception of dynamic objectivity, the paper suggests a way of treating the nexus between the construction of gender within the interrelatedness of scientific practices and the constitution of particular objects of inquiry. At stake is the notion of characteristic hermeneutic situation which proves to be helpful in designing a multi-gendered pedagogy as well.

  10. Understanding the "Other": Rethinking Multiculturalism in South Korea through Gadamer's Philosophical Hermeneutics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Jeong-Hee; So, Kyunghee

    2018-01-01

    In this paper, we interrogate the current state of multiculturalism and multicultural education in South Korea and offer a possible theoretical framework that is lacking in the field of multicultural education. We provide three principles of multicultural understanding grounded in Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics to inform multiculturalism in…

  11. Healing the Physical/Spiritual Divide through a Holistic and Hermeneutic Approach to Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Webster, R. Scott

    2013-01-01

    In this special edition of the journal, attention is being given to the two dimensions of spirituality and physicality. In this particular paper I argue that there is an unhelpful divide that is often assumed to exist between these two dimensions and that this divide can be transcended or "healed" through a holistic and hermeneutic approach to…

  12. Phenomenological characteristics of autobiographical memory in Korsakoff's syndrome.

    PubMed

    El Haj, Mohamad; Nandrino, Jean-Louis

    2017-10-01

    A body of research suggests compromise of autobiographical memory in Korsakoff's syndrome (KS). The present paper extends this literature by investigating the subjective experience of autobiographical recall in the syndrome. Patients with KS and controls were asked to retrieve autobiographical memories. After memory retrieval, participants were asked to rate phenomenological characteristics of their memories (i.e., reliving, back in time, remembering, realness, visual imagery, auditory imagery, language, emotion, rehearsal, importance, spatial recall and temporal recall). Analysis showed lower "Mean Phenomenological Experience" in the Korsakoff patients than in controls. However, the Korsakoff patients attributed relatively high emotional value and importance to their memories. Although our findings suggest compromised phenomenological reliving of autobiographical memory in patients with KS, affective characteristics such as emotion and importance are likely to play a main role in the subjective experience of the past in these patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. The lived experiences of flemish midwifery students undertaking an internship in Suriname: A phenomenological study.

    PubMed

    Hilde, Curinckx; Marion, Welsh; Marianne, Nieuwenhuijze

    2018-05-01

    The aim of this study is to explore the lived experience of Flemish midwifery students undertaking an internship in Suriname. Hermeneutic phenomenological method as described by van Manen. Seven midwifery students from one University College were selected purposefully for an in-depth interview during their internship abroad within the period October-November 2014. All interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. The study revealed five overarching themes: (1) A time to reconsider the time, (2) a time of connection and disconnection, (3) spatiality for thought and rethinking, (4) a body to undergo or a body to respond and (5) the other(s) among the others. The experience of an internship in Suriname presents itself in each individual as: 'A process of awareness from the self with a main focus on the professional'. Meaning that it was a process of 'disconnection' from their own culture towards 'connection' with another culture. Both, the 'rethinking' of their role as a midwife, as well as, balancing between guarding one's own authenticity by 'responding' or being the friendly stranger through 'undergoing', was noticeably striking. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Method development at Nordic School of Public Health NHV: Phenomenology and Grounded Theory.

    PubMed

    Strandmark, Margaretha

    2015-08-01

    Qualitative methods such as phenomenology and grounded theory have been valuable tools in studying public health problems. A description and comparison of these methods. Phenomenology emphasises an inside perspective in form of consciousness and subjectively lived experiences, whereas grounded theory emanates from the idea that interactions between people create new insights and knowledge. Fundamental aspects of phenomenology include life world, consciousness, phenomenological reduction and essence. Significant elements in grounded theory are coding, categories and core categories, which develop a theory. There are differences in the philosophical approach, the name of the concept and the systematic tools between the methods. Thus, the phenomenological method is appropriate when studying emotional and existential research problems, and grounded theory is a method more suited to investigate processes. © 2015 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

  15. Photo stories, Ricoeur, and experiences from practice: a hermeneutic dialogue.

    PubMed

    Sitvast, J E; Abma, T A; Lendemeijer, H H G M; Widdershoven, G A M

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how a particular narrative approach in nursing, namely the photo instrument can be connected with Ricoeur's hermeneutic philosophy. Ricoeur's concept of mimesis, when supplemented with the concept of performance, is shown relevant for understanding how patients construct and reformulate meaning in illness experiences. A single-case study is presented for a tentative exploration of how the key concepts of mimesis and performance can broaden our understanding of practice. More specifically it concerned the use of photographs in a group with psychiatric patients.

  16. The motivational stories of how women become scientists: A hermeneutic phenomenological inquiry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Watson, Sandra White

    2002-01-01

    The under-representation of women in science careers is well documented (Astin, Green, Korn, & Riggs, 1991; Felder, Felder, Mauny, Hamrin, & Dietz, 1995; Green, 1989; National Science Foundation, 1996, 1998; Seymour & Hewitt, 1997; Strenta, Elliot, Adair, Scott, & Matier, 1994; Tobias, 1990, 1992). While important information has been published concerning various factors that influenced women to pursue science careers (American Association of University Women, 1992; Debacker & Nelson, 2000; Samuels, 1999), very few research projects have allowed women scientists to share their personal experiences of what motivated them to become scientists in their own voices. The purpose of this inquiry was to investigate the elicited stories of seven women research scientists so that their retrospective motivational experiences with science as girls and young women inside and outside the formal school setting might be better understood. This inquiry examined specific motivational factors and experiences that encouraged or discouraged these women to pursue careers in science. These factors included the motivational influences of gender perceptions, science experiences, and social interactions. From the collective experiences offered, emergent themes were identified and interpreted. These motivational themes were compared with motivational findings in the literature review. Educational implications of the identified themes for these and other women considering careers in science, women's parents, science educators and society, are discussed.

  17. Finitude, Fallibilism and Education towards Non-Dogmatism: Gadamer's Hermeneutics in Science Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leiviska, Anniina

    2013-01-01

    The philosophy of science has witnessed continuous controversy since the mid-twentieth century regarding the justification of science's privileged position, and which has also reverberated in the philosophy of science education. This contribution brings to the discussion the viewpoint of Hans-Georg Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics. I…

  18. Phenomenology of future-oriented mind-wandering episodes

    PubMed Central

    Stawarczyk, David; Cassol, Helena; D'Argembeau, Arnaud

    2013-01-01

    Recent research suggests that prospective and non-prospective forms of mind-wandering possess distinct properties, yet little is known about what exactly differentiates between future-oriented and non-future-oriented mind-wandering episodes. In the present study, we used multilevel exploratory factor analyses (MEFA) to examine the factorial structure of various phenomenological dimensions of mind-wandering, and we then investigated whether future-oriented mind-wandering episodes differ from other classes of mind-wandering along the identified factors. We found that the phenomenological dimensions of mind-wandering are structured in four factors: representational format (inner speech vs. visual imagery), personal relevance, realism/concreteness, and structuration. Prospective mind-wandering differed from non-prospective mind-wandering along each of these factors. Specifically, future-oriented mind-wandering episodes involved inner speech to a greater extent, were more personally relevant, more realistic/concrete, and more often part of structured sequences of thoughts. These results show that future-oriented mind-wandering possesses a unique phenomenological signature and provide new insights into how this particular form of mind-wandering may adaptively contribute to autobiographical planning. PMID:23882236

  19. Factors affecting midwives' confidence in intrapartum care: a phenomenological study.

    PubMed

    Bedwell, Carol; McGowan, Linda; Lavender, Tina

    2015-01-01

    midwives are frequently the lead providers of care for women throughout labour and birth. In order to perform their role effectively and provide women with the choices they require midwives need to be confident in their practice. This study explores factors which may affect midwives' confidence in their practice. hermeneutic phenomenology formed the theoretical basis for the study. Prospective longitudinal data collection was completed using diaries and semi-structured interviews. Twelve midwives providing intrapartum care in a variety of settings were recruited to ensure a variety of experiences in different contexts were captured. the principal factor affecting workplace confidence, both positively and negatively, was the influence of colleagues. Perceived autonomy and a sense of familiarity could also enhance confidence. However, conflict in the workplace was a critical factor in reducing midwives' confidence. Confidence was an important, but fragile, phenomenon to midwives and they used a variety of coping strategies, emotional intelligence and presentation management to maintain it. this is the first study to highlight both the factors influencing midwives' workplace confidence and the strategies midwives employed to maintain their confidence. Confidence is important in maintaining well-being and workplace culture may play a role in explaining the current low morale within the midwifery workforce. This may have implications for women's choices and care. Support, effective leadership and education may help midwives develop and sustain a positive sense of confidence. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Riding the Wave: Student Researcher Reflection on the Action Research Process

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burrows, Andrea; Thomas, Jonathan; Woods, Angie; Suess, Robert; Dole, Deborah

    2012-01-01

    The focus of this article is the exploration of and an explanation of student researchers' affect and activity in an action research project. Using a hermeneutical theoretical framework we argue that the researcher group as a whole constructs a wave process and at the same time each individual researcher in the group creates a wave process that…

  1. How I remember my parents' divorce: a phenomenological investigation.

    PubMed

    Stambaugh, Suzanne E; Hector, Mark A; Carr, Austin R

    2011-01-01

    In order to examine the experience of parental divorce for adult women, a phenomenological method was used. Ten women were interviewed and the interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematized. The themes that came from the texts of the interviews transcripts and the researchers' reflections on the phenomenological research group analysis were: Before the Divorce, During the Divorce, and After the Divorce. These themes were centered on a contextual ground of Time Frame of the Divorce. The results of this study can provide individuals with a context for understanding their own experiences of parental divorce. These results could also be helpful for mental health clinicians in anticipating the themes that clients will discuss relative to the stages of their parents' divorce.

  2. Theory and practice of clinical ethics support services: narrative and hermeneutical perspectives.

    PubMed

    Porz, Rouven; Landeweer, Elleke; Widdershoven, Guy

    2011-09-01

    In this paper we introduce narrative and hermeneutical perspectives to clinical ethics support services (CESS). We propose a threefold consideration of 'theory' and show how it is interwoven with 'practice' as we go along. First, we look at theory in its foundational role: in our case 'narrative ethics' and 'philosophical hermeneutics' provide a theoretical base for clinical ethics by focusing on human identities entangled in stories and on moral understanding as a dialogical process. Second, we consider the role of theoretical notions in helping practitioners to understand their situation in clinical ethics practice, by using notions like 'story', 'responsibility', or 'vulnerability' to make explicit and explain their practical experience. Such theoretical notions help us to interpret clinical situations from an ethical perspective and to foster moral awareness of practitioners. And, thirdly, we examine how new theoretical concepts are developed by interpreting practice, using practice to form and improve our ethical theory. In this paper, we discuss this threefold use of theory in clinical ethics support services by reflecting on our own theoretical assumptions, methodological steps and practical experiences as ethicists, and by providing examples from our daily work. In doing so, we illustrate that theory and practice are interwoven, as theoretical understanding is dependent upon practical experience, and vice-versa. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  3. The Aesthetic Experience of Nature and Hermeneutic Phenomenology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Iared, Valéria Ghisloti; de Oliveira, Haydée Torres; Payne, Phillip G.

    2016-01-01

    One aim of environmental education is to encourage different ways of generating meanings of, valuing, conceiving, and contextualizing "nature." The field of aesthetics provides an affective basis for interpreting our perceptions of environments and relations with other more-than-human beings. This critical essay examines some of the key…

  4. A Phenomenological Investigation of the Lived Experiences of Successful First Generation Hispanic College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Puente, Christina C.

    2013-01-01

    This qualitative phenomenological research study investigated the lived experiences of five successful first generation Hispanic college students. Participants' interviews were analyzed using Creswell's (2007) six steps for analyzing phenomenological studies. Findings from this study affirm the factors for student success in college regarding…

  5. Nondisclosure in Triadic Supervision: A Phenomenological Study of Counseling Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lonn, Marlise R.; Juhnke, Gerald

    2017-01-01

    Triadic supervision is common within counselor training; however, limited research in professional counseling literature exists describing counseling students' experiences of choosing what to disclose within triadic supervision. Using transcendental phenomenological research, the authors investigated supervisees' nondisclosure within triadic…

  6. A Phenomenological Study of Financial Knowledge Application

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nduku, Enita Bernice

    2012-01-01

    The intent of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to explore the influence of financial knowledge application and financial debts or freedom of traditional Texas college students. The study identified how financial knowledge application influenced whether traditional Texas college students do or do not accumulate debt. The study…

  7. Impact of Involvement of Chief Information Officer in Strategic Decisions: A Phenomenological Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moussa, Samir

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of the qualitative phenomenological study was to investigate the influence of the CIO on strategic decision making in organizations. The phenomenological study was deployed to address 2 research questions by interviewing a purposive sample of 23 executives (7 IT leaders, 10 CFOs, and 6 CEOs) in 5 different countries. A qualitative…

  8. The liminal self in people with multiple sclerosis: an interpretative phenomenological exploration of being diagnosed.

    PubMed

    Strickland, Karen; Worth, Allison; Kennedy, Catriona

    2017-06-01

    To explore the lived experience of the meaning of being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis on the individual's sense of self. The time leading up to and immediately following the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis has been identified as a time period shrouded by uncertainty and one where individuals have a heightened desire to seek accurate information and support. The diagnosis brings changes to the way one views the self which has consequences for biographical construction. A hermeneutic phenomenological study. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 10 people recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. The data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. This study presents the three master themes: the 'road to diagnosis', 'the liminal self' and 'learning to live with multiple sclerosis'. The diagnosis of multiple sclerosis may be conceptualised as a 'threshold moment' where the individual's sense of self is disrupted from the former taken-for-granted way of being and propose a framework which articulates the transition. The findings highlight the need for healthcare professionals to develop interventions to better support people affected by a new diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. The conceptual framework which has been developed from the data and presented in this study provides a new way of understanding the impact of the diagnosis on the individual's sense of self when affected by a new diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. This framework can guide healthcare professionals in the provision of supportive care around the time of diagnosis. The findings provide practitioners with a new way of understanding the impact of the diagnosis on the individual's sense of self and a framework which can guide them in the provision of supportive care around the time of diagnosis. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Seeking Chronic Pain Relief: A Hermeneutic Exploration.

    PubMed

    Smith, Crystal Lederhos; Severtsen, Billie; Vandermause, Roxanne; Barbosa-Leiker, Celestina; Wilson, Marian; Roll, John

    2018-06-21

    In the United States, chronic pain is experienced by over 39.4 million adults, many of whom are treated with opioid pain medications. This research presents an interpretation of the experience of seeking pain relief for a group of people taking opioid pain medications whose pain is not adequately controlled. A concurrent embedded mixed-methods design was used, including a Heideggerian hermeneutic qualitative approach that focuses on the participants' perceptions as a vehicle for understanding the phenomenon of seeking pain relief with descriptive quantitative data in a supporting role. Thirteen interviews and 15 surveys were analyzed, all of which met the following criteria: (1) self-reported chronic pain (persistent pain lasting a minimum of six months), (2) current use of prescription opioid medications, (3) pain not successfully controlled. The analysis revealed a paradox, which we describe as being lost/finding myself in the health care system. This paradox became the overarching pattern of experience that subsumed several dynamic, overlapping practices described in the patterns: (1) seeking relief as suffering; (2) being classified as an addict but not an addict; (3) living with pain as remembering; and (4) experiencing treatment modalities as fickle possibilities. Explication of and interpretive commentary on these patterns shift the focus from drug seeking to pain relief seeking behaviors in chronic pain sufferers. Such a shift could change the manner in which providers work with chronic pain sufferers to find appropriate treatment modalities. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. A Phenomenology of Outdoor Education Leader Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Field, Stephanie C.; Lauzon, Lara L.; Meldrum, John T.

    2016-01-01

    Limited qualitative research exists on the experiences of outdoor education leaders. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the job-related experiences of outdoor education leaders within and outside the workplace. Five participants who had experience as outdoor education leaders completed in-depth, one-on-one interviews about…

  11. Heidegger, communication, and healthcare.

    PubMed

    Rentmeester, Casey

    2018-01-12

    Communication between medical professionals and patients is an important aspect of therapy and patient satisfaction. Common barriers that get in the way of effective communication in this sphere include: (1) gender, age, and cultural differences; (2) physical or psychological discomfort or pain; (3) medical literacy; and (4) distraction due to technological factors or simply being overworked. The author examines these communicative barriers from a philosophical lens and then utilizes Martin Heidegger's phenomenology and hermeneutics to provide guidance for medical professional-patient interactions. The phenomenological approach espoused emphasizes the particular, contextual nature of such interactions, and thus is opposed to abstract, theoretical principles. Heidegger's hermeneutics provides a philosophical approach to communication that may guide the back-and-forth interpretation that should happen between medical professionals and patients to achieve effective communication.

  12. Decision making within a community provider organization.

    PubMed

    Berggren, Ingela; Carlstrom, Eric

    2010-12-01

    To explore community nurses' experiences of decision making within the community provider organization. Recent changes in health care with an increasing number of patients being cared for outside of institutions can put considerable pressure on the nurse with respect to decision making. In-depth interviews were performed with 6 registered nurses in two communities. The interviews were analysed by means of phenomenological hermeneutics. The community nurses' experiences of decision making were interpreted as spiders or octopuses, consultants and troubleshooters. The subthemes were; networking and structuring, responsibility, availability and knowledge, assessment power, information selection, avoiding rules and bypassing managers. In accordance with hermeneutical phenomenology, the findings were discussed and explained with reference to Ofstad's philosophy of freedom to make decisions. In their decision making, community nurses are committed to finding administrative solutions that satisfy patient needs.

  13. The phenomenology of the psychotic break and Huxley's trip: substance use and the onset of psychosis.

    PubMed

    Nelson, Barnaby; Sass, Louis A

    2008-01-01

    While considerable research attention has been devoted to the causal relationship between substance use and psychosis, the phenomenology of the association between the two has largely been ignored. This is a significant shortcoming, because it blinds researchers to the possibility that there may be elements of the subjective experience of substance use and psychosis that contribute to their apparent relationship in empirical studies. The current paper examines the phenomenology of the onset of psychosis and the phenomenology of substance intoxication through consideration of two texts: Sass's account of the phenomenology of psychosis onset and Huxley's account of the experience of hallucinogenic intoxication. Sass's account of psychosis onset includes four components: Unreality, Fragmentation, Mere Being, and Apophany. The analysis reveals significant parallels - and also some differences - between this account and the phenomenology of substance intoxication. We discuss the implications of this for the causal relationship between psychosis and substance use and suggest several ways of understanding the overlapping phenomenologies. This includes the suggestion of a shared factor, perhaps best described as psychotic-like experience, which seems to involve a breakdown of the sign-referent relationship and relationship with the common-sense, practical world. However, in the onset of psychosis, this breakdown is primarily experienced as a sense of alienation from self and world, whereas in the hallucinogenic state a sense of mystical union and revelation seems predominant. Further research may extend this analysis by looking at experiences with other drugs, particularly cannabis, and by examining the phenomenology of psychotic disorder beyond the first episode. (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  14. Teachers' Experience in Implementing Cooperative Learning in the Classrooms (Phenomenological Research at Junior High School Classrooms in Ponorogo, East Java, Indonesia)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harjali

    2017-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate the teachers' perception toward the implementation of cooperative learning in the classroom. The research applied a qualitative phenomenological design that used a purposeful sample of six teachers at Junior High School Classrooms in Ponorogo, East Java, Indonesia. Data collected via in-depth interviews, participant…

  15. [Dealing with the phenomenological interview with prostitutes: experience report].

    PubMed

    Moreira, Isabel Cristina Cavalcante Carvalho; Monteiro, Claudete Ferreira de Souza

    2009-01-01

    This article aims at describing our experience in obtaining statements using the phenomenological interview. Eleven prostitutes were interviewed in Teresina, PI. Along this journey we have had several remarkable moments such as: the strategy of approaching the interviewee, the site of the interviews and the own emotional narration of the prostitutes. This process has showed us that one needs to be familiar and empathic with the research subjects. We have also learned that there is not a specific formula of conducting the interview, but it is the role of the researcher to identify the difficulties and propose strategies to obtain the statements. Thus, the empathic relationship that we have experienced in obtaining the statements from these women through the phenomenological interview was essential to understand the contact with violence throughout the prostitution daily life.

  16. Breaking the Silence: A Phenomenological Exploration of Secondary Traumatic Stress in U.S. College Student Affairs Professionals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lynch, Robert Jason

    2017-01-01

    Breaking the Silence: A Phenomenological Exploration of Secondary Traumatic Stress in U.S. College Student Affairs Professionals is a qualitative-intensive mixed methods study using phenomenology and art-based research techniques to uncover the essence of secondary traumatic stress in U.S. college student affairs professionals. Researchers in the…

  17. A Phenomenological Study on Reflective Teaching Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Disu, Abimbola

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of teachers who engage in reflective teaching practice. This study was conducted at two elementary urban charter schools in New York City (NYC). A phenomenological research design was used to investigate the perspectives of twenty-one elementary school teachers who use reflective…

  18. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis in a Mixed Methods Research Design to Explore Music in the Lives of Mature Age Amateur Keyboard Players

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Angela

    2015-01-01

    This article discusses the use of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) in a mixed methods research design with reference to five recent publications about music in the lives of mature age amateur keyboard players. It explores the links between IPA and the data-gathering methods of "Rivers of Musical Experience",…

  19. Critical Reflection as a Learning Tool for Nurse Supervisors: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Urbas-Llewellyn, Agnes

    2013-01-01

    Critical reflection as a learning tool for nursing supervisors is a complex and multifaceted process not completely understood by healthcare leadership, specifically nurse supervisors. Despite a multitude of research studies on critical reflection, there remains a gap in the literature regarding the perceptions of the individual, the support…

  20. Situated cognition and the phenomenology of place: lifeworld, environmental embodiment, and immersion-in-world.

    PubMed

    Seamon, David

    2015-09-01

    This article makes use of a passage from novelist Gabriel García Márquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude to illustrate Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology of the lived body and to consider what the related phenomenological concepts of place, environmental embodiment, and immersion-in-world might offer research in situated cognition.

  1. Phenomenological Modeling of Infrared Sources: Recent Advances

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Leung, Chun Ming; Kwok, Sun (Editor)

    1993-01-01

    Infrared observations from planned space facilities (e.g., ISO (Infrared Space Observatory), SIRTF (Space Infrared Telescope Facility)) will yield a large and uniform sample of high-quality data from both photometric and spectroscopic measurements. To maximize the scientific returns of these space missions, complementary theoretical studies must be undertaken to interpret these observations. A crucial step in such studies is the construction of phenomenological models in which we parameterize the observed radiation characteristics in terms of the physical source properties. In the last decade, models with increasing degree of physical realism (in terms of grain properties, physical processes, and source geometry) have been constructed for infrared sources. Here we review current capabilities available in the phenomenological modeling of infrared sources and discuss briefly directions for future research in this area.

  2. The Essences of Culinary Arts Students' Lived Experience of General Education Online Learning: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keovilay, Sisavath

    2015-01-01

    This phenomenological research study explored the lived experiences of culinary arts students learning general education online while enrolled in a face-to-face (f2f) culinary arts class. This research used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to analyze how culinary arts students, in a not-for-profit Florida University, made sense of…

  3. Preparing for Disability Awareness Sunday: An Educational Exercise Drawing on Psychological Perspectives for Biblical Hermeneutics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Francis, Leslie J.; Jones, Susan H.

    2015-01-01

    Some of the Gospel passages proposed for Disability Awareness Sunday raise challenges as well as opportunities for preachers. This paper reports findings from an educational exercise, drawing on insights from the SIFT approach to biblical hermeneutics, in which 23 Anglican clergy studied Mark 2: 1-12 and Mark 10: 46-52 in groups structured…

  4. Novel Methods in Terminal Ballistics and Mechanochemistry of Damage 2. Phenomenological Mechanochemistry of Damage in Solid Brittle Dielectrics

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-09-01

    Phenomenological Mechanochemistry of Damage in Solid Brittle Dielectrics by MA Grinfeld Approved for public release...Army Research Laboratory Novel Methods in Terminal Ballistics and Mechanochemistry of Damage 2. Phenomenological Mechanochemistry of Damage...2. Phenomenological Mechanochemistry of Damage in Solid Brittle Dielectrics 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER

  5. Educators' Perspectives on Having Been Cyber Harassed: A Phenomenological Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davenport, Paula M.

    2014-01-01

    The abuse of individuals through electronic means, typically of students by other students, has been researched extensively. The electronic abuse of other individuals through electronic means has received a dearth of research attention. The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to explore, describe, and expand the…

  6. Stop, look, listen: the need for philosophical phenomenological perspectives on auditory verbal hallucinations

    PubMed Central

    McCarthy-Jones, Simon; Krueger, Joel; Larøi, Frank; Broome, Matthew; Fernyhough, Charles

    2013-01-01

    One of the leading cognitive models of auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs) proposes such experiences result from a disturbance in the process by which inner speech is attributed to the self. Research in this area has, however, proceeded in the absence of thorough cognitive and phenomenological investigations of the nature of inner speech, against which AVHs are implicitly or explicitly defined. In this paper we begin by introducing philosophical phenomenology and highlighting its relevance to AVHs, before briefly examining the evolving literature on the relation between inner experiences and AVHs. We then argue for the need for philosophical phenomenology (Phenomenology) and the traditional empirical methods of psychology for studying inner experience (phenomenology) to mutually inform each other to provide a richer and more nuanced picture of both inner experience and AVHs than either could on its own. A critical examination is undertaken of the leading model of AVHs derived from phenomenological philosophy, the ipseity disturbance model. From this we suggest issues that future work in this vein will need to consider, and examine how interdisciplinary methodologies may contribute to advances in our understanding of AVHs. Detailed suggestions are made for the direction and methodology of future work into AVHs, which we suggest should be undertaken in a context where phenomenology and physiology are both necessary, but neither sufficient. PMID:23576974

  7. A hermeneutic phenomenological study of the experiences of female African American undergraduate engineering students at a predominantly White and an historically Black institution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Frillman, Sharron Ann

    2011-12-01

    This phenomenological study examined the experiences of twelve female African Americans enrolled as fulltime undergraduate engineering students at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, an historically Black university, and seven female African Americans enrolled as undergraduate engineering students at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, a traditionally White institution. Interviews provided insights into the "lived" experiences of these young women and the factors they believe have contributed to their success in their respective engineering programs. Data analysis involved coding each participant's responses to interview questions using Atlas.ti, a powerful qualitative data analysis tool. This generated 181 codes that were further categorized into nine emergent themes, indicating the potential for extensive associations among the variables. The emergent themes are as follows: (1) Demographic information/special circumstances, (2) Personal attributes and characteristics, (3) Personal insights, (4) Sense of mission, (5) Sources of negative stress, (6) Success strategies, (7) Various forms of support, (8) Would/would not have made it to where she is now, and (9) Being African American and female in engineering. Analysis of these themes and their relationships led to the development of the Frillman Model of Emergent Themes in Female African American Engineering Students. Success. In addressing similarities and differences, three overriding theme categories emerged. These were: (1) Four personhood themes and dual social identity theme; (2) Environmental input and response theme; and (3) Outcome emergent theme of Would/Would not have made it to where she is now. Recommendations were made for future research to expand upon this exploratory study.

  8. Research in Lattice Gauge Theory and in the Phenomenology of Neutrinos and Dark Matter

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Meurice, Yannick L; Reno, Mary Hall

    Research in theoretical elementary particle physics was performed by the PI Yannick Meurice and co-PI Mary Hall Reno. New techniques designed for precision calculations of strong interaction physics were developed using the tensor renormalization group method. Large-scale Monte Carlo simulations with dynamical quarks were performed for candidate models for Higgs compositeness. Ab-initio lattice gauge theory calculations of semileptonic decays of B-mesons observed in collider experiments and relevant to test the validity of the standard model were performed with the Fermilab/MILC collaboration. The phenomenology of strong interaction physics was applied to new predictions for physics processes in accelerator physics experiments andmore » to cosmic ray production and interactions. A research focus has been on heavy quark production and their decays to neutrinos. The heavy quark contributions to atmospheric neutrino and muon fluxes have been evaluated, as have the neutrino fluxes from accelerator beams incident on heavy targets. Results are applicable to current and future particle physics experiments and to astrophysical neutrino detectors such as the IceCube Neutrino Observatory.« less

  9. The Classification of Hysteria and Related Disorders: Historical and Phenomenological Considerations

    PubMed Central

    North, Carol S.

    2015-01-01

    This article examines the history of the conceptualization of dissociative, conversion, and somatoform syndromes in relation to one another, chronicles efforts to classify these and other phenomenologically-related psychopathology in the American diagnostic system for mental disorders, and traces the subsequent divergence in opinions of dissenting sectors on classification of these disorders. This article then considers the extensive phenomenological overlap across these disorders in empirical research, and from this foundation presents a new model for the conceptualization of these disorders. The classification of disorders formerly known as hysteria and phenomenologically-related syndromes has long been contentious and unsettled. Examination of the long history of the conceptual difficulties, which remain inherent in existing classification schemes for these disorders, can help to address the continuing controversy. This review clarifies the need for a major conceptual revision of the current classification of these disorders. A new phenomenologically-based classification scheme for these disorders is proposed that is more compatible with the agnostic and atheoretical approach to diagnosis of mental disorders used by the current classification system. PMID:26561836

  10. Vantage perspective during encoding: The effects on phenomenological memory characteristics.

    PubMed

    Mooren, Nora; Krans, Julie; Näring, Gérard W B; Moulds, Michelle L; van Minnen, Agnes

    2016-05-01

    The vantage perspective from which a memory is retrieved influences the memory's emotional impact, intrusiveness, and phenomenological characteristics. This study tested whether similar effects are observed when participants were instructed to imagine the events from a specific perspective. Fifty student participants listened to a verbal report of car-accidents and visualized the scenery from either a field or observer perspective. There were no between-condition differences in emotionality of memories and the number of intrusions, but imagery experienced from a relative observer perspective was rated as less self-relevant. In contrast to earlier studies on memory retrieval, vantage perspective influenced phenomenological memory characteristics of the memory representation such as sensory details, and ratings of vividness and distancing of the memory. However, vantage perspective is most likely not a stable phenomenological characteristic itself. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. A Phenomenological Study: African-American Males in the Educational Profession

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Kristopher

    2012-01-01

    This phenomenological research study explored the perceptions and lived experiences of African-American male teachers related to the underrepresentation of African-American males in the teaching profession. The study was guided by four research questions. The data was collected from 15 African-American male teachers at the elementary school level,…

  12. Phenomenology Depends on Human Nature

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reber, Rolf

    2006-01-01

    This paper comments on the article "Psychology and Phenomenology: A Clarification" by H. H. Kendler. Kendler contrasted objective phenomena going on in the mind with phenomenological convictions. He concluded, on the basis of a thoughtful analysis, that scientific psychology cannot validate moral principles, which have to be agreed upon by…

  13. Experiencing your brain: neurofeedback as a new bridge between neuroscience and phenomenology

    PubMed Central

    Bagdasaryan, Juliana; Quyen, Michel Le Van

    2013-01-01

    Neurophenomenology is a scientific research program aimed to combine neuroscience with phenomenology in order to study human experience. Nevertheless, despite several explicit implementations, the integration of first-person data into the experimental protocols of cognitive neuroscience still faces a number of epistemological and methodological challenges. Notably, the difficulties to simultaneously acquire phenomenological and neuroscientific data have limited its implementation into research projects. In our paper, we propose that neurofeedback paradigms, in which subjects learn to self-regulate their own neural activity, may offer a pragmatic way to integrate first-person and third-person descriptions. Here, information from first- and third-person perspectives is braided together in the iterative causal closed loop, creating experimental situations in which they reciprocally constrain each other. In real-time, the subject is not only actively involved in the process of data acquisition, but also assisted to directly influence the neural data through conscious experience. Thus, neurofeedback may help to gain a deeper phenomenological-physiological understanding of downward causations whereby conscious activities have direct causal effects on neuronal patterns. We discuss possible mechanisms that could mediate such effects and indicate a number of directions for future research. PMID:24187537

  14. Developing the Model of "Pedagogical Art Communication" Using Social Phenomenological Analysis: An Introduction to a Research Method and an Example for Its Outcome

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hofmann, Fabian

    2016-01-01

    Social phenomenological analysis is presented as a research method for museum and art education. After explaining its methodological background, it is shown how this method has been applied in a study of gallery talks or guided tours in art museums: Analyzing the situation by description and interpretation, a model for understanding gallery talks…

  15. The Experience of Chief Nurse in Military Operations Other Than War.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1998-10-02

    and analyzed using procedures adapted from Colaizzi (1978), Van Manen (1990) and illuminated by Ray (1990). Significant statements were identified in...experience will lead to an understanding of the foundations of the global caregiving community. Hermeneutic phenomenology provided a description and

  16. Writing across the Curriculum: A Hermeneutic Study of Students' Experiences in Writing in Food Science Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dzurec, David J.; Dzurec, Laura Cox

    2005-01-01

    Writing can enhance learning by helping students put words to their thinking about course material. The purposes of this study were to assess the influence of a structured academic journal writing exercise on student learning in a food science class and to examine student responses to the experience. Hermeneutics, a philosophy of science and…

  17. Schizophrenia among Hispanics: epidemiology, phenomenology, course, and outcome.

    PubMed

    Dassori, A M; Miller, A L; Saldana, D

    1995-01-01

    A number of studies point to the influence of culture and ethnicity on the presentation and course of schizophrenia. In general, a relatively powerful influence of environmental factors is identified. This article reviews the literature on schizophrenia among Hispanics in the United States and uses the results of this review as a basis for identifying directions for future study. Research is divided into three major areas: epidemiology, phenomenology, and illness course and outcome. Ethnic comparisons suggest similar prevalence rates of schizophrenia. However, differences in illness phenomenology between certain subgroups of Hispanics are also observed. Moreover, culture can affect various aspects of the illness process, including illness definition, help- seeking behavior, response to treatment, and post-treatment adjustment. Proposed guidelines to direct future research ventures include (1) better delineation of the sociocultural attributes of the group under study, (2) validation of assessment instruments across ethnic groups, (3) use of innovative approaches to assess incidence and prevalence, (4) incorporation of qualitative methodology, (5) use of illness behavior models to provide a conceptual framework to guide investigations, and (6) integration of cross-cultural and biological studies.

  18. The lived experience of feeling sad.

    PubMed

    Bunkers, Sandra Schmidt

    2010-07-01

    The purpose of this study was to enhance understanding of the lived experience of feeling sad. Parse's phenomenological-hermeneutic research method was used to answer the research question: What is the structure of the lived experience of feeling sad? Participants were 7 elders who had lost a pet. Data were collected with dialogical engagement. The major finding of the study is the structure: Feeling sad is penetrating anguish surfacing with contemplating absent-yet present intimacies, while prevailing amid misfortune. Feeling sad is discussed in relation to the principles of humanbecoming and in relation to how it can inform future nursing research and nursing practice.

  19. Toward a Phenomenological-Longitudinal Model of Media Gratification Processes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kielwasser, Alfred P.; And Others

    While not dismissing the "uses and gratifications" approach to research, this paper attempts to increase the theoretical and practical utility of gratifications measures by approaching them through a more phenomenological and longitudinal tack. The paper suggests that any "gratification unit" is given a unique meaning by the…

  20. Cyberbullying Victimization among College Students: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rivituso, Jack

    2014-01-01

    This interpretive phenomenological analysis explored the lived experiences and the psychological impact of victimization from cyberbullying among college students. Two theories, Bandura's Theory of Triadic Reciprocal Determinism and the General Strain Theory, guided the primary research questions used for this exploration. Each of these…

  1. Moral experience: a framework for bioethics research.

    PubMed

    Hunt, Matthew R; Carnevale, Franco A

    2011-11-01

    Theoretical and empirical research in bioethics frequently focuses on ethical dilemmas or problems. This paper draws on anthropological and phenomenological sources to develop an alternative framework for bioethical enquiry that allows examination of a broader range of how the moral is experienced in the everyday lives of individuals and groups. Our account of moral experience is subjective and hermeneutic. We define moral experience as "Encompassing a person's sense that values that he or she deem important are being realised or thwarted in everyday life. This includes a person's interpretations of a lived encounter, or a set of lived encounters, that fall on spectrums of right-wrong, good-bad or just-unjust". In our conceptualisation, moral experience is not limited to situations that are heavily freighted with ethically-troubling ramifications or are sources of debate and disagreement. Important aspects of moral experience are played out in mundane and everyday settings. Moral experience provides a research framework, the scope of which extends beyond the evaluation of ethical dilemmas, processes of moral justification and decision-making, and moral distress. This broad research focus is consistent with views expressed by commentators within and beyond bioethics who have called for deeper and more sustained attention in bioethics scholarship to a wider set of concerns, experiences and issues that better captures what is ethically at stake for individuals and communities. In this paper we present our conceptualisation of moral experience, articulate its epistemological and ontological foundations and discuss opportunities for empirical bioethics research using this framework.

  2. CE: Original Research: The Experience of Transitioning to a Caregiving Role for a Family Member with Alzheimer's Disease or Related Dementia.

    PubMed

    Czekanski, Kathleen

    2017-09-01

    : Background: Alzheimer's disease is a chronic, debilitating disease that currently affects an estimated 5.5 million Americans. The majority are being cared for at home by family caregivers, who are known to have higher levels of burden than any other group of caregivers. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of people who transition to the role of caregiver for a family member with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia. The study used purposeful sampling. Eight women and two men (mean age, 66.3 years) participated. Data were collected through in-depth semistructured interviews, along with observational field notes. Data were analyzed using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach. The average duration of caregiving reported by participants was five years. Seven themes were uncovered: something is wrong; journey to diagnosis: ambiguity and negative emotions; shifting roles and relationships: losses and challenges; seeking knowledge and support: solutions and frustrations; adapting to the topsy-turvy world of caregiving: finding purpose; preserving self without guilt; and finding a way out. The study findings have implications for nursing education, research, and practice, with participants expressing needs for better communication and access to resources. The findings also suggest the importance of health care planning early in the disease process, and of raising awareness about nurses as a resource for family members.

  3. Introducing Organisational Behaviour: Issues in Course Design.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Costea, Bogdan; Crump, Norman

    1999-01-01

    Design of an introductory organizational behavior course contrasted a Cartesian scientific approach with phenomenological and hermeneutic perspectives intended to overcome limits of traditional approaches. The new course situates management in an historical context and focuses on management, then organizations, then the self. (SK)

  4. Digging Deep for Meaning: A Critical Hermeneutic Analysis of CEO Letters to Shareholders in the Oil Industry.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prasad, Anshuman; Mir, Raza

    2002-01-01

    Uses the methodology of critical hermeneutics to analyze Chief Executive Officers' letters to shareholders in the United States petroleum industry during the 1970s and 1980s. Suggests these letters were deployed to produce a certain attitude toward OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) among their readers that deflected attention of…

  5. A phenomenological calculus of Wiener description space.

    PubMed

    Richardson, I W; Louie, A H

    2007-10-01

    The phenomenological calculus is a categorical example of Robert Rosen's modeling relation. This paper is an alligation of the phenomenological calculus and generalized harmonic analysis, another categorical example. Our epistemological exploration continues into the realm of Wiener description space, in which constitutive parameters are extended from vectors to vector-valued functions of a real variable. Inherent in the phenomenology are fundamental representations of time and nearness to equilibrium.

  6. Phenomenological Characteristics of Future Thinking in Alzheimer's Disease.

    PubMed

    Moustafa, Ahmed A; El Haj, Mohamad

    2018-05-11

    This study investigates phenomenological reliving of future thinking in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and matched controls. All participants were asked to imagine in detail a future event, and afterward, were asked to rate phenomenological characteristics of their future thinking. As compared to controls, AD participants showed poor rating for reliving, travel in time, visual imagery, auditory imagery, language, and spatiotemporal specificity. However, no significant differences were observed between both groups in emotion and importance of future thinking. Results also showed lower rating for visual imagery relative to remaining phenomenological features in AD participants compared to controls; conversely, these participants showed higher ratings for emotion and importance of future thinking. AD seems to compromise some phenomenological characteristics of future thinking, especially, visual imagery; however, other phenomenological characteristics, such as emotion, seem to be relatively preserved in these populations. By highlighting the phenomenological experience of future thinking in AD, our paper opens a unique window into the conscious experience of the future in AD patients.

  7. Spiritual care as a dimension of holistic care: a relational interpretation.

    PubMed

    Bush, Tony; Bruni, Nina

    2008-11-01

    This article reports on a phenomenological study undertaken to explore the meaning of spiritual care as described by a group of palliative care professionals. The research process was informed by van Manen's (1990) hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Eight palliative care professionals (nurses, complementary therapists and pastoral carers) were recruited from a community palliative care agency in Melbourne, Victoria, which provided home-based palliative care. All participants were female and came from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Data were collected by in-depth conversational interviews and were analyzed thematically. Two themes emerged: 'a living nexus between spiritual care, spirituality and holism' and 'a world of relationships'. The findings of the study point to the need for healthcare professionals to incorporate spiritual care guidelines into practice in order for palliative care to be truly representative of holistic health care.

  8. A New Phenomenological Survey of Auditory Hallucinations: Evidence for Subtypes and Implications for Theory and Practice

    PubMed Central

    McCarthy-Jones, Simon

    2014-01-01

    A comprehensive understanding of the phenomenology of auditory hallucinations (AHs) is essential for developing accurate models of their causes. Yet, only 1 detailed study of the phenomenology of AHs with a sample size of N ≥ 100 has been published. The potential for overreliance on these findings, coupled with a lack of phenomenological research into many aspects of AHs relevant to contemporary neurocognitive models and the proposed (but largely untested) existence of AH subtypes, necessitates further research in this area. We undertook the most comprehensive phenomenological study of AHs to date in a psychiatric population (N = 199; 81% people diagnosed with schizophrenia), using a structured interview schedule. Previous phenomenological findings were only partially replicated. New findings included that 39% of participants reported that their voices seemed in some way to be replays of memories of previous conversations they had experienced; 45% reported that the general theme or content of what the voices said was always the same; and 55% said new voices had the same content/theme as previous voices. Cluster analysis, by variable, suggested the existence of 4 AH subtypes. We propose that there are likely to be different neurocognitive processes underpinning these experiences, necessitating revised AH models. PMID:23267192

  9. Understanding and Applying Research Paradigms in Educational Contexts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kivunja, Charles; Kuyini, Ahmed Bawa

    2017-01-01

    The concept of research paradigm is one that many higher degree research students, and even early career researchers, find elusive to articulate, and challenging to apply in their research proposals. Adopting an ethnographic and hermeneutic methodology, the present paper draws upon our experiences as lecturers in Research Methods over many years,…

  10. The phenomenology of lucid dreaming: an online survey.

    PubMed

    Stumbrys, Tadas; Erlacher, Daniel; Johnson, Miriam; Schredl, Michael

    2014-01-01

    In lucid dreams the dreamer is aware that he or she is dreaming. Although such dreams are not that uncommon, many aspects of lucid dream phenomenology are still unclear. An online survey was conducted to gather data about lucid dream origination, duration, active or passive participation in the dream, planned actions for lucid dreams, and other phenomenological aspects. Among the 684 respondents who filled out the questionnaire, there were 571 lucid dreamers (83.5%). According to their reports, lucid dreams most often originate spontaneously in adolescence. The average lucid dream duration is about 14 minutes. Lucid dreamers are likely to be active in their lucid dreams and plan to accomplish different actions (e.g., flying, talking with dream characters, or having sex), yet they are not always able to remember or successfully execute their intentions (most often because of awakening or hindrances in the dream environment). The frequency of lucid dream experience was the strongest predictor of lucid dream phenomenology, but some differences were also observed in relation to age, gender, or whether the person is a natural or self-trained lucid dreamer. The findings are discussed in light of lucid dream research, and suggestions for future studies are provided.

  11. The impact of an indigenous proverb on women's mental health: A phenomenological approach.

    PubMed

    Phiri, Seepaneng S; Mulaudzi, Fhumulani M; Heyns, Tanya

    2015-11-23

    Proverbs and idioms represent cultural and societal beliefs and values inherited from the forefathers. An example is lebitla la mosadi ke bogadi. Over many decades African people have used such ancient instructions to counsel women to be resilient in their marriages thus impacting on their mental health. The purpose of this article was to explore and describe that proverb and its impact on women's mental health. Hermeneutic phenomenology was used to explore and describe the prover band its impact on indigenous women's mental health. The population included married, divorced, widowed and single women who were attending social clubs or networks in the cities of Tshwane and Johannesburg. Snowball and purposive sampling was used to select 57 participants. Five face-to-face interviews and eight focus groups interviews were conducted. Colaizzi's data analysis method was used to analyse data. Oppression and stigmatisation of women and their families and harmful effects that may result in death were identified as having an impact on women's mental health. Some women shared that they were oppressed in many ways. In addition, they feared stigmatisation should they wish to divorce. They constantly lived in fear of being harmed or killed by their spouses. There was a need for nurses to develop awareness regarding cultural issues so that women are better served in primary healthcare settings. Women who are suspected of experiencing abuse, should be screened for abuse so that they can be assisted accordingly.

  12. Informal Learning as Performance: Toward a Hermeneutic Phenomenology of Museum Learning in "Second Life"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cool, Kathleen L.

    2013-01-01

    This study explored how avid users of "Second Life" ("SL") experience and make meaning of informal learning activities in virtual art museums and similar cultural spaces through their avatars. While recent literature has laid the groundwork for studying student engagement and formal learning, the lacuna of research bound by the…

  13. The politics of phenomenological concepts in nursing.

    PubMed

    Holmes, C A

    1996-09-01

    This paper challenges those nurses who champion Heideggerian phenomenology, by outlining some of the possible political consequences of that philosophy. Some relationships between phenomenology and fascism are discussed, with special reference to anti-humanism and authenticity. Heidegger's commitment to Nazism is affirmed and, following the lead of other recent contributions to the debate, it is suggested that this was the likely, if not inevitable, result of his phenomenological philosophy. It is concluded that, because of its immanent fascism, Heideggerian phenomenology is at odds with the general value orientation publicly espoused by the nursing profession, and that this may render it not only unsuitable as a means of understanding and elaborating nursing knowledge, but also actively counter-productive to the conventional aspirations of nurses.

  14. High Stakes Testing in Lower-Performing High Schools: Mathematics Teachers' Perceptions of Burnout and Retention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kirtley, Karmen

    2012-01-01

    This dissertation grows from a concern that the current public school accountability model, designed ostensibly to increase achievement in lower-performing schools, may be creating unidentified negative consequences for teachers and students within those schools. This hermeneutical phenomenological study features the perceptions of seventeen…

  15. Micromechanics based phenomenological damage modeling

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Muju, S.; Anderson, P.M.; Popelar, C.H.

    A model is developed for the study of process zone effects on dominant cracks. The model proposed here is intended to bridge the gap between the micromechanics based and the phenomenological models for the class of problems involving microcracking, transforming inclusions etc. It is based on representation of localized eigenstrains using dislocation dipoles. The eigenstrain (fitting strain) is represented as the strength (Burgers vector) of the dipole which obeys a certain phenomenological constitutive relation.

  16. Alchemical hermeneutics of the Vesica Piscis: Symbol of depth psychology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    O'Dell, Linda Kay

    The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of the Vesica Piscis as the symbolic frame for depth psychology and the therapeutic relationship. The method of inquiry was hermeneutics and alchemical hermeneutics, informed theoretically by depth psychology. A theoretical description of the nature of the Vesica Piscis as a dynamic template and symbol for depth psychology and the therapeutic relationship resulted. Gathering the components of the therapeutic relationship into the shape of the Vesica Piscis, gave opportunity to explore what might be happening while treatment is taking place: somatically, psychologically, and emotionally. An investigation into the study of Soul placed the work of psychology within the central, innermost sacred space between—known symbolically as the Vesica Piscis. Imbued with a connectedness and relational welcoming, this symbol images the Greek goddess Hekate (Soul), as mediatrix between mind and matter. Psyche (soul), namesake of "psychology," continues her journey of finding meaning making, restitution, and solace in the therapeutic space as imaged by the Vesica Piscis. Her journey, moving through the generations, becomes the journey of the therapeutic process—one that finds resolution in relationship. Psyche is sought out in the macrocosmic archetypal realm of pure energy, the prima material that forms and coalesces both in response and likewise, creates a response through symbols, images, and imagination. The field was explored from the depth psychological perspective as: the unconscious, consciousness, and archetypal, and in physics as: the quantum field, morphic resonance, and the holographic field. Gaining an understanding of the underlying qualities of the field placed the symbol in its embedded context, allowing for further definition as to how the symbol potentially was either an extension of the field, or served as a constellating factor. Depth psychology, as a scientific discipline, is in need of a symbol that

  17. Men's experiences of regaining urinary continence following robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) for localised prostate cancer: a qualitative phenomenological study.

    PubMed

    Waller, Jo; Pattison, Natalie

    2013-02-01

    To understand how men interpret their experiences of regaining continence following robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP). RALP is an innovative surgical technique intended to minimise the risk of long-term postoperative urinary incontinence in localised prostate cancer. Studies have shown that urinary function and quality of life domains can be adversely affected following RALP; however, the impact on men's lives has been hitherto unreported. A qualitative study using hermeneutic phenomenology Face-to-face, in-depth audio-recorded interviews with seven men (aged 57-71) who had recently undergone RALP and defined themselves as continent of urine. Data were inductively analysed for themes using an adapted version of Diekelmann et al. [1989, The NLN Criteria of Appraisal of Baccalaureate Programs: A Critical Hermeneutic Analysis, 1st edn. National League for Nursing (NLN) Press, New York, NY] framework. Men's experiences of regaining continence were situated within a wider network of personal and social relationships, and cultural structures. Themes included 'what was forecast', 'after-sales service', 'new plumbing', 'sense of self'. Men adopted a variety of practical coping strategies: preventing incontinence; improving incontinence; and dealing with lack of bladder control. The need to regain a sense of control over their lives resulted in all men developing coping mechanisms in order that they could resume their societal roles, which were salient to their personal identity, inferring that men's ability to cope with incontinence after RALP was dependent on factors other than urinary leakage alone. Knowledge of the potential impact of RALP could help nurses tailor appropriate interventions. Incontinence is individually interpreted and may not be well-addressed by traditional 'one-size fits all' preoperative programmes or information. Flexible and imaginative options (e.g., activity-focused interventions; buddy systems; internet programmes; telephone

  18. Ethical Becoming: Adult Ethical Development in Christian Congregations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carr-Chellman, Davin J.

    2011-01-01

    This is a study of adult ethical development in Christian congregations. Using an empirical hermeneutic phenomenological methodology, this study examined how five pastors understand and encourage ethical development, developing an in-depth analysis and interpretation of their perceptions of the phenomenon of adult ethical development. Two primary…

  19. Dialectic and Dialogue in Plato: Refuting the Model of Socrates-as-Teacher in the Pursuit of Authentic "Paideia"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Magrini, James Michael

    2014-01-01

    Incorporating Gadamer and other thinkers from the continental tradition, this essay is a close and detailed hermeneutic, phenomenological, and ontological study of the dialectic practice of Plato's Socrates--it radicalizes and refutes the Socrates-as-teacher model that educators from scholar academic ideology embrace.

  20. Persistence and Discontinuation of Part-Time, Non-Traditional, Latino Female Community College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Russell, H. Jill

    2009-01-01

    A qualitative, hermeneutic phenomenological study conducted through interviews with 20 non-traditional (NT) Hispanic/Latino female part-time community college students and located at an urban community college in southern New Jersey explored for factors of persistence and discontinuation. Six themes emerged. Theme 1: Institutional persistence…

  1. Collaborative Data-Driven Decision Making: A Qualitative Study of the Lived Experiences of Primary Grade Classroom Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ralston, Christine R.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the lived experiences of primary classroom teachers participating in collaborative data-driven decision making. Hermeneutic phenomenology served as the theoretical framework. Data were collected by conducting interviews with thirteen classroom teachers who taught in grades kindergarten through…

  2. Lightning Phenomenology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kawasaki, Zen

    This paper presents a phenomenological idea about lightning flash to share the back ground understanding for this special issue. Lightning discharges are one of the terrible phenomena, and Benjamin Franklin has led this natural phenomenon to the stage of scientific investigation. Technical aspects like monitoring and location are also summarized in this article.

  3. Emotional violence among women in intimate relationships in Botswana.

    PubMed

    Thupayagale-Tshweneagae, Gloria; Seloilwe, Esther Salang

    2010-01-01

    A Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used to investigate the lived experience of women in Botswana who had experienced emotional abuse in intimate relationships. Hermeneutic phenomenology is concerned with the human experience as it is lived. Ten educated Botswana women who had formal employment and have been in intimate relationships for longer than ten years, narrated their life experiences with abusive men. Extensive interviews took place over a six month period. Sociocultural practices in Botswana emerged as salient factors that contribute to emotional abuse and predispose women to mental illness. Entwined in these cultural practices are issues of age, ethnicity, payment of lobola (bride price), financial standing, change of name, and relocation to the man's residence. Education and employment seem to worsen the abuse. Depression and anxiety are common results of abuse. Understanding how the sociocultural factors perpetuate abuse can assist nurses in the way they provide health care services to women.

  4. A Phenomenological Narrative Study: Elementary Charter School Principals' Managerial Roles

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cetinkaya, Ahmet

    2016-01-01

    This study was a phenomenological narrative research investigating the managerial roles of elementary charter school principals. Managerial leadership practices were investigated under three categories personnel management, student management, and finance management. Elementary charter school principals provided positive feedback for having small…

  5. Phenomenology as a resource for patients.

    PubMed

    Carel, Havi

    2012-04-01

    Patient support tools have drawn on a variety of disciplines, including psychotherapy, social psychology, and social care. One discipline that has not so far been used to support patients is philosophy. This paper proposes that a particular philosophical approach, phenomenology, could prove useful for patients, giving them tools to reflect on and expand their understanding of their illness. I present a framework for a resource that could help patients to philosophically examine their illness, its impact on their life, and its meaning. I explain the need for such a resource, provide philosophical grounding for it, and outline the epistemic and existential gains philosophy offers. Illness often begins as an intrusion on one's life but with time becomes a way of being. I argue that this transition impacts on core human features such as the experience of space and time, human abilities, and adaptability. It therefore requires philosophical analysis and response. The paper uses ideas from Husserl and Merleau-Ponty to present such a response in the form of a phenomenological toolkit for patients. The toolkit includes viewing illness as a form of phenomenological reduction, thematizing illness, and examining illness as altering the ill person's being in the world. I suggest that this toolkit could be offered to patients as a workshop, using phenomenological concepts, texts, and film clips to reflect on illness. I conclude by arguing that examining illness as a limit case of embodied existence deepens our understanding of phenomenology.

  6. A phenomenological study of spontaneous spiritual and paranormal experiences in a 21st-century sample of normal people.

    PubMed

    Woodard, Fredrick James

    2012-02-01

    Summary.-This paper presents a phenomenological study using the methodology of Woodard's phenomenological and perceptual research. This method examines individuals' internal meanings during spontaneous spiritual and paranormal experiences, as described from their point of view. A group of 40 adults was phenomenologically interviewed after they responded to a newspaper announcement in New Hampshire asking for volunteers who had had spiritual and paranormal experiences. Using the method, Six Individual Situated Structures and a General Structure were identified and examined. Nine major themes were explicated during the participants' spontaneous experiencing: unexpectedness, contrariness to belief, certainty, contradictory experiencing, language as a barrier to expression, external influences, internal dialogue, evil as separateness, and some social psychological influences. Several themes observed in hypnotic experiencing, such as the characteristics of the Adequate Personality in Perceptual Psychology, are interpreted and discussed. This research illustrates how subjective experience can be adequately researched in a qualitative manner outside the confines of the laboratory setting. Limitations of the study and suggestions for further research are given.

  7. School Counselors' Roles in RAMP and PBIS: A Phenomenological Investigation (Part Two)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goodman-Scott, Emily; Grothaus, Tim

    2018-01-01

    Researchers conducted a qualitative, phenomenological investigation of the lived experiences of a sample of 10 school counselors in current or recent RAMP (Recognized ASCA [American School Counselor Association] Model Program) schools that also implemented positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) with high fidelity. Researchers found…

  8. Treatment of obsessive morbid jealousy with cognitive analytic therapy: An adjudicated hermeneutic single-case efficacy design evaluation.

    PubMed

    Curling, Louise; Kellett, Stephen; Totterdell, Peter; Parry, Glenys; Hardy, Gillian; Berry, Katherine

    2018-03-01

    The evidence base for the treatment of morbid jealousy with integrative therapies is thin. This study explored the efficacy of cognitive analytic therapy (CAT). An adjudicated hermeneutic single-case efficacy design evaluated the cognitive analytic treatment of a patient meeting diagnostic criteria for obsessive morbid jealousy. A rich case record was developed using a matrix of nomothetic and ideographic quantitative and qualitative outcomes. This record was then debated by sceptic and affirmative research teams. Experienced psychotherapy researchers acted as judges, assessed the original case record, and heard the affirmative-versus-sceptic debate. Judges pronounced an opinion regarding the efficacy of the therapy. The efficacy of CAT was supported by all three judges. Each ruled that change had occurred due to the action of the therapy, beyond any level of reasonable doubt. This research demonstrates the potential usefulness of CAT in treating morbid jealousy and suggests that CAT is conceptually well suited. Suggestions for future clinical and research directions are provided. The relational approach of CAT makes it a suitable therapy for morbid jealousy. The narrative reformulation component of CAT appears to facilitate early change in chronic jealousy patterns. It is helpful for therapists during sessions to use CAT theory to diagrammatically spell out the patterns maintaining jealousy. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

  9. Curriculum as Post-Intentional Phenomenological Text: Working along the Edges and Margins of Phenomenology Using Post-Structuralist Ideas

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vagle, Mark D.

    2015-01-01

    In this article, I experiment along the edges and margins of the phenomenological notion of intentionality using the Deleuzoguattarian concepts of multiplicity and line of flight. Working from Pinar et al.'s anticipation that phenomenology would undergo discursive shifts tending towards the post-structural, I theorize curriculum as…

  10. From the Positivist to the Hermeneutic University: Restoring the Place of Meaning and Liberal Learning in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mackler, Stephanie

    2010-01-01

    This article argues that the university must shift from a positivist model, which emphasizes knowledge production and job training, to a hermeneutic one, which emphasizes understanding and meaning. Such a shift would be a response to two interrelated problems. First, the university suffers from an identity crisis in that it no longer holds a…

  11. Clarifying My World: Identity Work in the Context of Workplace Bullying

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    D'Cruz, Premilla; Noronha, Ernesto

    2012-01-01

    Based on a study rooted in van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenology, conducted with agents working in international facing call centers in Mumbai and Bangalore, India, this paper describes targets' identity work in the context of workplace bullying. Data were gathered through conversational interviews and were subject to sententious and selective…

  12. Protecting My Interests: HRM and Targets' Coping with Workplace Bullying

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    D'Cruz, Premilla; Noronha, Ernesto

    2010-01-01

    Based on a study rooted in van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenology, conducted with agents working in international facing call centers in Mumbai and Bangalore, India, this paper describes targets' coping with workplace bullying. Data were gathered through conversational interviews and were subject to sententious and selective thematic analyses. The…

  13. HRD in Asia. Symposium 3. [AHRD Conference, 2001].

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    2001

    This document contains three papers on human resource development (HRD) in Asia. "The Experiences of HRD Professionals Participating in Continuing Professional Development in Taiwan" (Yu-Shu [Jason] Chen) reports on a study that was based on the method of hermeneutic phenomenology and conducted to describe and interpret the experiences…

  14. Getting There: A Phenomenology of the Contexts of Car Buying.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aanstoos, Christopher M.; Barrell, James J.

    The importance of understanding the manner in which the desire to buy arises in buyers has been neglected in the study of consumer psychology. This report identifies those few research projects which have studied the origins of consumer motivation and describes a phenomenologically-guided investigation which studied individuals' desires to…

  15. Sour Fruits on the Trail: Renewing Phenomenological Practice

    PubMed Central

    De Monticelli, Roberta; Simionescu-Panait, Andrei

    2015-01-01

    This summer, Europe’s Journal of Psychology hosts a fruitful discussion about phenomenology, its method, the possibilities of application in today's context and its current troubled waters stemming from recent historical-ideological debates. Prof. Roberta De Monticelli offers lush and informative answers to provocative issues like overdriving the epoché, Heidegger's dark undertones, the relation between pedagogy and authorship in phenomenology and the idea of filtering politics through Husserlian phenomenology. PMID:27247664

  16. Enabling narrative pedagogy: inviting, waiting, and letting be.

    PubMed

    Ironside, Pamela M

    2014-01-01

    This article describes how teachers enable Narrative Pedagogy in their courses by explicating the Concernful Practice Inviting: Waiting and Letting Be. Narrative Pedagogy, a research-based, phenomenological approach to teaching and learning, extends conventional pedagogies and offers nursing faculty an alternative way of transforming their schools and courses. Using hermeneutic phenomenology, interview data collected over a 10-year period were analyzed by coding practical examples of teachers' efforts to enact Narrative Pedagogy. When Narrative Pedagogy is enacted, teachers and students focus on thinking and learning together about nursing phenomena and seek new understandings about how they may provide care in the myriad situations they encounter. Although the Concernful Practices co-occur, explicating inviting experiences can assist new teachers, and those seeking to extend their pedagogical literacy, by providing new understandings of how Narrative Pedagogy can be enacted.

  17. Relating Schizotypy and Personality to the Phenomenology of Creativity

    PubMed Central

    Nelson, B.; Rawlings, D.

    2010-01-01

    Introduction: Although a considerable amount of research has addressed psychopathological and personality correlates of creativity, the relationship between these characteristics and the phenomenology of creativity has been neglected. Relating these characteristics to the phenomenology of creativity may assist in clarifying the precise nature of the relationship between psychopathology and creativity. The current article reports on an empirical study of the relationship between the phenomenology of the creative process and psychopathological and personality characteristics in a sample of artists. Method: A total of 100 artists (43 males, 57 females, mean age = 34.69 years) from a range of disciplines completed the Experience of Creativity Questionnaire and measures of “positive” schizotypy, affective disturbance, mental boundaries, and normal personality. Results: The sample of artists was found to be elevated on “positive” schizotypy, unipolar affective disturbance, thin boundaries, and the personality dimensions of Openness to Experience and Neuroticism, compared with norm data. Schizotypy was found to be the strongest predictor of a range of creative experience scales (Distinct Experience, Anxiety, Absorption, Power/Pleasure), suggesting a strong overlap of schizotypal and creative experience. Discussion: These findings indicate that “positive” schizotypy is associated with central features of “flow”-type experience, including distinct shift in phenomenological experience, deep absorption, focus on present experience, and sense of pleasure. The neurologically based construct of latent inhibition may be a mechanism that facilitates entry into flow-type states for schizotypal individuals. This may occur by reduced latent inhibition providing a “fresh” awareness and therefore a greater absorption in present experience, thus leading to flow-type states. PMID:18682376

  18. Causal Set Phenomenology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Philpott, Lydia

    2010-09-01

    Central to the development of any new theory is the investigation of the observable consequences of the theory. In the search for quantum gravity, research in phenomenology has been dominated by models violating Lorentz invariance (LI) -- despite there being, at present, no evidence that LI is violated. Causal set theory is a LI candidate theory of QG that seeks not to quantise gravity as such, but rather to develop a new understanding of the universe from which both GR and QM could arise separately. The key hypothesis is that spacetime is a discrete partial order: a set of events where the partial ordering is the physical causal ordering between the events. This thesis investigates Lorentz invariant QG phenomenology motivated by the causal set approach. Massive particles propagating in a discrete spacetime will experience diffusion in both position and momentum in proper time. This thesis considers this idea in more depth, providing a rigorous derivation of the diffusion equation in terms of observable cosmic time. The diffusion behaviour does not depend on any particular underlying particle model. Simulations of three different models are conducted, revealing behaviour that matches the diffusion equation despite limitations on the size of causal set simulated. The effect of spacetime discreteness on the behaviour of massless particles is also investigated. Diffusion equations in both affine time and cosmic time are derived, and it is found that massless particles undergo diffusion and drift in energy. Constraints are placed on the magnitudes of the drift and diffusion parameters by considering the blackbody nature of the CMB. Spacetime discreteness also has a potentially observable effect on photon polarisation. For linearly polarised photons, underlying discreteness is found to cause a rotation in polarisation angle and a suppression in overall polarisation.

  19. Low Socioeconomic Status Men Persisting in College: A Phenomenological Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crichton, Dusten D.

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and to tell the stories of low socioeconomic status (SES) men in college who persisted beyond the halfway point of college at a Midwestern metropolitan university. Prior research suggested men from low socioeconomic status backgrounds matriculated and persisted in college at the lowest…

  20. Trait Dissociation and the Subjective Affective, Motivational, and Phenomenological Experience of Self-Defining Memories

    PubMed Central

    Sutin, Angelina R.; Stockdale, Gary D.

    2010-01-01

    The present research reports two studies that examine the relation between non-pathological trait dissociation and the subjective affect, motivation, and phenomenology of self-defining memories. In Study 1 (N=293), participants retrieved and rated the emotional and motivational experience of a general and a positive and negative achievement-related memory. Study 2 (N=449) extended these ratings to relationship-related memories and the phenomenological experience of the memory. Dissociation was associated with incongruent affect in valenced memories (e.g., positive affect in a negative memory) and memories that were visually incoherent and saturated with power motivation, hubristic pride, and shame, regardless of valence or domain. The present findings demonstrate that autobiographical memories, which integrate emotional, motivational, and phenomenological components, reflect the emotional and motivational processes inherent to dissociation. PMID:21204840

  1. Some Phenomenological Aspects of the Peak Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosenblatt, Howard S.; Bartlett, Iris

    1976-01-01

    This article relates the psychological dynamics of "peak experiences" to two concepts, intentionality and paradoxical intention, within the philosophical orientation of phenomenology. A review of early philosophical theories of self (Kant and Hume) is presented and compared with the experiential emphasis found in the phenomenology of Husserl.…

  2. The Transition Experiences of High-Achieving, Low-Income Undergraduates in an Elite College Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McLoughlin, Paul J., II

    2012-01-01

    This hermeneutic phenomenological study describes the lived experiences of high-achieving, low-income undergraduates and their transition into a college environment historically reserved for wealthy students. The results of this study indicate that these students are flourishing in full need-based financial aid programs as a result of their own…

  3. The Lived Experience of Beginning Teachers Defining Their Pedagogical Way of Being

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frank, Nathan

    2013-01-01

    This hermeneutic phenomenological study explores the lived experience of beginning teachers defining their pedagogical way of being. Many beginning teachers have found frustration and disillusionment during their first year in the classroom, leading to high levels of attrition. Those beginning teachers who remain in the classroom may develop a way…

  4. An Exploration of Positive Identity Development in Women Living with Chronic Pain

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sharpe, Hillary; Alderson, Kevin; Collins, Sandra

    2013-01-01

    We explored the concept of living positively with chronic pain using a mixed-methods design that relied primarily on hermeneutic phenomenology. Ten women described their experiences of developing a positive identity while contending with chronic pain. Throughout their journeys, the women interviewed experienced a number of key themes including:…

  5. Five Residents Speak: The Meaning of Living with Dying in a Long-Term Care Home

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Djivre, Sandra E.; Levin, Elizabeth; Schinke, Robert J.; Porter, Elaine

    2012-01-01

    Personal meanings given to the experience of living with nursing home death were shared by 5 nursing home residents. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews. Using M. van Manen's (1990) hermeneutic phenomenology, the lived experience of residents emerged as a compilation of 5 dynamically occurring themes, including (a) mapping…

  6. Teacher Attitudes and Perceptions of the Influence of Professional Development on Minority Student Academic Achievement in Reading

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Plair, Clarissa Jeanne

    2013-01-01

    This qualitative study is written from a phenomenological standpoint using Van Manen's (1990 ) hermeneutic lived experiences of the participants. Fourth grade teachers from a large urban school district in the southwestern U.S. completed an online questionnaire and participated in a focus group interview to provide insight into their attitudes and…

  7. "Teach Your Children Well": Arguing in Favor of Pedagogically Justifiable Hospitality Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Potgieter, Ferdinand J.

    2016-01-01

    This paper is a sequel to the paper which I delivered at last year's BCES conference in Sofia. Making use of hermeneutic phenomenology and constructive interpretivism as methodological apparatus, I challenge the pedagogic justifiability of the fashionable notion of religious tolerance. I suggest that we need, instead, to reflect "de…

  8. The New ICE-Age: Frozen and Thawing Perceptions of Imagination

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hatt, Blaine E.

    2018-01-01

    The article examines the importance of imagination in adult-child relationships in 21st-century experiential learning, where ICE is an acronym for Imagination Creativity Education. It explores, through hermeneutic phenomenology, the impact of imagination in the life-experiences of three school-aged children through the wonder of toying, through…

  9. Overcoming Isolation as a Woman in the Male-Dominated Superintendency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCooley, Melissa Ann

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to explore the attributes associated with the leadership of women superintendents and how they overcome isolation in a predominantly male-dominated field. Through a feminist lens, I explored the manner in which women serve as superintendents, particularly, the manner in which they…

  10. Attunement and Bodily Dialogues in Music Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fink-Jensen, Kirsten

    2007-01-01

    In this paper Kirsten Fink-Jensen suggests how a phenomenological-hermeneutic perspective can contribute to the knowledge of learning and teaching processes in music education in school. The philosophical frame is Danish philosophy of life, represented by Knud Ejler Logstrup, and Merleau-Ponty's philosophy of body, both pointing to the wholeness…

  11. Young Women's Experiences of Resisting Invitations to Use Illicit Drugs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koehn, Corinne V.; O'Neill, Linda K.

    2011-01-01

    Ten young women were interviewed regarding their experiences of resisting invitations to use illicit drugs. Hermeneutic phenomenology was used to gather and analyze information. One key theme was the motivations that inspired women to refuse drug offers. Young women resisted drug invitations because of their desires to be authentic, protect their…

  12. A Case Study: Cultural Preferences Concerning the Willingness of Batswana Students to Use ICT in Distance Education at North-West University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Du Toit-Brits, Charlene

    2016-01-01

    This investigation was conceived of as fundamentally interpretative and designed within the framework of hermeneutic phenomenology as it focuses particularly on the world as it is lived and experienced by Batswana Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE) students in order to determine the views of these students regarding their willingness to use…

  13. A Conceptual Model of Spirituality in Music Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van der Merwe, Liesl; Habron, John

    2015-01-01

    This article aims to describe the phenomenon of spirituality in music education by means of a model derived from the academic literature on the topic. Given the centrality of lived experience within this literature, we adopted a hermeneutic phenomenological theoretical framework to describe the phenomenon. The NCT (noticing, collecting, and…

  14. Pragmatic phenomenological types.

    PubMed

    Goranson, Ted; Cardier, Beth; Devlin, Keith

    2015-12-01

    We approach a well-known problem: how to relate component physical processes in biological systems to governing imperatives in multiple system levels. The intent is to further practical tools that can be used in the clinical context. An example proposes a formal type system that would support this kind of reasoning, including in machines. Our example is based on a model of the connection between a quality of mind associated with creativity and neuropsychiatric dynamics: constructing narrative as a form of conscious introspection, which allows the manipulation of one's own driving imperatives. In this context, general creativity is indicated by an ability to manage multiple heterogeneous worldviews simultaneously in a developing narrative. 'Narrative' in this context is framed as the organizing concept behind rational linearization that can be applied to metaphysics as well as modeling perceptive dynamics. Introspection is framed as the phenomenological 'tip' that allows a perceiver to be within experience or outside it, reflecting on and modifying it. What distinguishes the approach is the rooting in well founded but disparate disciplines: phenomenology, ontic virtuality, two-sorted geometric logics, functional reactive programming, multi-level ontologies and narrative cognition. This paper advances the work by proposing a type strategy within a two-sorted reasoning system that supports cross-ontology structure. The paper describes influences on this approach, and presents an example that involves phenotype classes and monitored creativity enhanced by both soft methods and transcranial direct-current stimulation. The proposed solution integrates pragmatic phenomenology, situation theory, narratology and functional programming in one framework. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. A phenomenological study of fatigue in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.

    PubMed

    Jorgensen, Roberta

    2006-09-01

    This paper reports the findings of research on the lived experience of fatigue in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis - a type of chronic liver disease. Fatigue is a universal phenomenon, commonly associated with both acute and chronic illness, but also seen in healthy individuals. However, it is not often addressed in healthcare encounters despite its disabling nature, perhaps because of the multitude of contributing factors and the lack of effective treatments. It is a common and debilitating symptom in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. Despite the prevalence of fatigue in this condition, patients' experiences of this symptom have not been researched. An interpretive-phenomenological approach developed by van Manen was chosen and this combines features of descriptive and interpretive phenomenology. Eight participants were interviewed during 2005 about their fatigue experience. Thematic analysis was conducted. Five themes were identified: an unreliable body, fatigue as always present yet insidious, planning a life to conserve energy, struggling to maintain normality and emotional consequences. These themes reflected the unrelenting, intrusive nature of fatigue into the lives of those affected. This research will provide empathic insight into the fatigue experience in this condition and generate communication about coping strategies. It will add to the body of research on fatigue in chronic conditions and may generate ideas for intervention research.

  16. A Phenomenological Investigation of Social Networking Privacy Awareness through a Media Literacy Lens

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Magolis, David; Briggs, Audra

    2016-01-01

    This research study focused on the social networking site (SNS) awareness of undergraduate students, examining their experiences through the type and extent of the information shared on their SNSs in order to discover the students' experiences with SNS privacy. A phenomenological research approach was used to interview eight undergraduates to…

  17. A Phenomenological Study of Non-LGBT Students with LGBQ Parents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bourdon, Thomas

    2013-01-01

    There is a lack of qualitative research that has sought to uncover the lived experiences of students who identify as heterosexual/cisgender (i.e., non-LGBT) but have at least one parent who identifies as LGBQ. This phenomenological analysis aimed to uncover common themes for students who have gone through their educational journey with this…

  18. The Interrelations between Competences for Sustainable Development and Research Competences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lambrechts, Wim; Van Petegem, Peter

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore how competences for sustainable development and research interrelate within a context of competence-based higher education. Specific focus is oriented towards strengthening research competences for sustainability. Design/methodology/approach: Following a hermeneutic-interpretive methodology, this…

  19. Meaning in life: the perspective of long-term care residents.

    PubMed

    Welsh, Darlene; Moore, Sharon L; Getzlaf, Beverley A

    2012-07-01

    A qualitative approach was used in the exploration of meaning in life for long-term care (LTC) residents. This hermeneutic phenomenological study, as described by van Manen, was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 11 LTC residents from a rural region in Atlantic Canada. Four themes emerged as enhancing meaning in life for the residents in this study: Connectedness, Survival Despite Declining Functional Capacity, Engaging in "Normal" Activities, and Seeking a Place of Refuge. In this article, we describe the emerging themes and the implications for LTC education, practice, and future research. Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.

  20. Grieving a loss: the lived experience for elders residing in an institution.

    PubMed

    Pilkington, F Beryl

    2005-07-01

    Grieving a loss is a profound and universal human experience. This phenomenological-hermeneutic study was an inquiry into the lived experience of grieving a loss. The nursing perspective was Parse's human becoming theory. Participants were 10 elderly persons residing in a long-term care facility. The study finding specifies the structure of the lived experience of grieving a loss as aching solitude amid enduring cherished affiliations, as serene acquiescence arises with sorrowful curtailments. Findings are discussed in relation to the guiding theoretical perspective and related literature. Recommendations for additional research and insights for practice are presented.

  1. Phenomenology tools on cloud infrastructures using OpenStack

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Campos, I.; Fernández-del-Castillo, E.; Heinemeyer, S.; Lopez-Garcia, A.; Pahlen, F.; Borges, G.

    2013-04-01

    We present a new environment for computations in particle physics phenomenology employing recent developments in cloud computing. On this environment users can create and manage "virtual" machines on which the phenomenology codes/tools can be deployed easily in an automated way. We analyze the performance of this environment based on "virtual" machines versus the utilization of physical hardware. In this way we provide a qualitative result for the influence of the host operating system on the performance of a representative set of applications for phenomenology calculations.

  2. Mediating Meaning for Individuals with Down Syndrome: A Phenomenological Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCullough, Michelle J.

    2012-01-01

    The current phenomenological case study, based in part on Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, set out to examine the lived experiences of individuals sharing and mediating meaningful communication with individuals who have Down syndrome. To accomplish this, the researcher interviewed several categories of caregivers who regularly interact with…

  3. The Hermeneutical Function of the Family in Right Understanding of Catholic Social Teaching and Its Use for Catholic University Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Justin

    2016-01-01

    In this paper, I argue that a "de facto" politicizing approach to the principles of Catholic Social Teaching miscasts several qualities of that body of teaching, leading to several negative prejudices. As a remedy to this politicization, I propose a "familial hermeneutical" approach that renders the principles of Catholic…

  4. Experiences and Outcomes of a Women's Leadership Development Program: A Phenomenological Investigation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brue, Krystal L.; Brue, Shawn A.

    2016-01-01

    Women's leadership training programs provide organizations opportunities to value women leaders as organizational resources. This qualitative research utilized phenomenological methodology to examine lived experiences of seven alumni of a women's-only leadership program. We conducted semi-structured interviews to clarify what learning elements…

  5. Where Have All the Teachers Gone: A Case Study in Transitioning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Potgieter, Amanda S.

    2016-01-01

    This paper reports the autobiographical narrative of Mr. L., as case-in-point example of the thresholding moment and the process of transitioning into Academia. The role of the lecturer-mentor and the multi-logic space that facilitates the process are clarified. I use hermeneutic phenomenology and interpretivism as methodological tools. This ex…

  6. "I Now Have a Visual Image in My Mind and It Is Something I Will Never Forget": An Analysis of an Arts-Informed Approach to Health Professions Ethics Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kinsella, Elizabeth Anne; Bidinosti, Susan

    2016-01-01

    This paper reports on a study of an arts informed approach to ethics education in a health professions education context. The purpose of this study was to investigate students' reported learning experiences as a result of engagement with an arts-informed project in a health professions' ethics course. A hermeneutic phenomenological methodological…

  7. Autobiographical Memory Phenomenology and Content Mediate Attachment Style and Psychological Distress

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sutin, Angelina R.; Gillath, Omri

    2009-01-01

    In 2 studies, the present research tested the phenomenology and content of autobiographical memory as distinct mediators between attachment avoidance and anxiety and depressive symptoms. In Study 1, participants (N = 454) completed measures of attachment and depressive symptoms in 1 session and retrieved and rated 2 self-defining memories of…

  8. Meaning, lived experience, empathy and boredom: Max van Manen on phenomenology and Heidegger.

    PubMed

    Paley, John

    2018-07-01

    Phenomenology as Qualitative Research: A Critical Analysis of Meaning Attribution has attracted the attention of Max van Manen, who has published a highly critical review article. Anyone reading this article, but unfamiliar with the book, will get a distorted view of what it is about, whom it is addressed to, what it tries to achieve, and how it goes about presenting its arguments. Not mildly distorted, in need of the odd correction here and there, but systematically misrepresented. One problem is that van Manen appears to have an idée fixe which prevents him from recognizing that the book is not about a certain philosophical tradition (known as "phenomenology"), but about a particular type of qualitative research (also known, unfortunately and confusingly, as "phenomenology"). A second idée fixe disposes him to misread an earlier article of mine and (much more seriously) three works by Heidegger. My aim in this article is to describe these two idées fixes, and exhibit their consequences. In doing so, I will examine what van Manen has to say on four crucial topics: meaning, lived experience, empathy, and Heidegger's analysis of boredom in The Fundamental Concepts of Metaphysics. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. A Hermeneutical Study of Older Korean Graduate Students' Experiences in American Higher Education: From Confucianism to Western Educational Values

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seo, Seonjin; Koro-Ljungberg, Mirka

    2005-01-01

    In this hermeneutical study, the authors focus on understanding the experiences of older Korean students who have come to the United States to pursue academic degrees at American universities. The purpose of this study is to describe the critical events related to their adjustment processes as well as to address some of the specific concerns of…

  10. Classroom Teachers' Feelings and Experiences in Teaching Early Reading and Writing: A Phenomenological Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bastug, Muhammet

    2016-01-01

    The current study aimed to reveal classroom teachers' feelings and experiences in teaching early reading and writing. Phenomenological research design was applied in the qualitative research methodology of the study. The participants of the study were 15 classroom teachers working in different cities. The data were collected through…

  11. Process and Positive Development: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of University Student Volunteering

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    MacNeela, Pádraig; Gannon, Niall

    2014-01-01

    Volunteering among university students is an important expression of civic engagement, but the impact of this experience on the development of emerging adults requires further contextualization. Adopting interpretative phenomenological analysis as a qualitative research approach, we carried out semistructured interviews with 10 students of one…

  12. Investigating the Phenomenological Matrix of Mindfulness-related Practices from a Neurocognitive Perspective

    PubMed Central

    Lutz, Antoine; Jha, Amishi P.; Dunne, John D.; Saron, Clifford D.

    2015-01-01

    There has been a great increase in literature concerned with the effects of a variety of mental training regimes that generally fall within what might be called contemplative practices, and a majority of these studies have focused on mindfulness. Mindfulness meditation practices can be conceptualized as a set of attention-based, regulatory and self-inquiry training regimes cultivated for various ends, including well-being and psychological health. This article examines the construct of mindfulness in psychological research and reviews recent, non-clinical work in this area. Instead of proposing a single definition of mindfulness, we interpret it as a continuum of practices involving states that can be mapped into a multidimensional phenomenological matrix which itself can be expressed in a neurocognitive framework. This phenomenological matrix of mindfulness is presented as a heuristic to guide formulation of next-generation research hypotheses from both cognitive/behavioral and neuroscientific perspectives. In relation to this framework, we review selected findings on mindfulness cultivated through practices in both traditional and research settings, and we conclude by identifying significant gaps in the literature and outlining new directions for research. PMID:26436313

  13. Out of the consulting room and into the world: hermeneutic dialogue, phronesis, and psychoanalytic theory as practice.

    PubMed

    Zeddies, T J

    2001-09-01

    One of the relics of positivism has been an underappreciation of the moral and ethical dimensions of psychoanalytic theory and practice. In a positivist metapsychology, cure and therapeutic gain were often defined instrumentally, with relatively little consideration given to aspects of human experience (e.g., moral, cultural, spiritual) that did not fit within a positivist framework. Conceptual and paradigmatic shifts in psychoanalysis have occurred, in part, because of the inability of the classical model to provide a language that adequately captures deeply felt human values and beliefs. Aided by hermeneutic and postmodern influences, many contemporary psychoanalytic theories are beginning to focus greater attention on the notion that analytic therapy is empowered by a set of ethical convictions, beliefs, and commitments, which are tied to a certain understanding of the good life. Along these lines, the author argues that developing a fresh understanding of the moral and ethical dimensions of psychoanalysis requires elaborating a new ontology of human subjectivity and social life. The author offers a sketch of how this gargantuan task might be started by integrating psychoanalysis within a hermeneutic perspective on dialogue, by suggesting that it would be helpful to view psychoanalysis as promoting Aristotelian practical wisdom or phronesis, and by rethinking psychoanalytic theory and interpretation as a form of practice.

  14. A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study of the Experience of Teacher-Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bechtel, Patricia L.

    2011-01-01

    Teachers who choose to participate in professional development to acquire new instructional methods or enhance their content knowledge are teacher-learners. For this study, data consisted of the reflective writings of 19 secondary mathematics and science teacher-learners in an 11-month professional development project. These writings provided a…

  15. The Experiences of Multiple Deployments on Military Families: A Phenomenological Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Threatts, Shanida Ann

    2013-01-01

    The focus of the current qualitative phenomenological research study was to gain a deeper understanding of military families with young children from preschool to elementary school-age during deployments of a family member. The purpose of the study was to explore the lived experiences and perceptions of 20 military parents concerning multiple or…

  16. Phenomenology of stochastic exponential growth

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pirjol, Dan; Jafarpour, Farshid; Iyer-Biswas, Srividya

    2017-06-01

    Stochastic exponential growth is observed in a variety of contexts, including molecular autocatalysis, nuclear fission, population growth, inflation of the universe, viral social media posts, and financial markets. Yet literature on modeling the phenomenology of these stochastic dynamics has predominantly focused on one model, geometric Brownian motion (GBM), which can be described as the solution of a Langevin equation with linear drift and linear multiplicative noise. Using recent experimental results on stochastic exponential growth of individual bacterial cell sizes, we motivate the need for a more general class of phenomenological models of stochastic exponential growth, which are consistent with the observation that the mean-rescaled distributions are approximately stationary at long times. We show that this behavior is not consistent with GBM, instead it is consistent with power-law multiplicative noise with positive fractional powers. Therefore, we consider this general class of phenomenological models for stochastic exponential growth, provide analytical solutions, and identify the important dimensionless combination of model parameters, which determines the shape of the mean-rescaled distribution. We also provide a prescription for robustly inferring model parameters from experimentally observed stochastic growth trajectories.

  17. The cruel and unusual phenomenology of solitary confinement.

    PubMed

    Gallagher, Shaun

    2014-01-01

    What happens when subjects are deprived of intersubjective contact? This paper looks closely at the phenomenology and psychology of one example of that deprivation: solitary confinement. It also puts the phenomenology and psychology of solitary confinement to use in the legal context. Not only is there no consensus on whether solitary confinement is a "cruel and unusual punishment," there is no consensus on the definition of the term "cruel" in the use of that legal phrase. I argue that we can find a moral consensus on the meaning of "cruelty" by looking specifically at the phenomenology and psychology of solitary confinement.

  18. Phenomenological Analysis of Teachers' Organizational Deviance Experiences in a Rural Primary School in Turkey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anasiz, Burcu Türkkas; Püsküllüoglu, Elif Iliman

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to analyze organizational deviance experiences of teachers. The study was in phenomenological design among qualitative research methods. In the research convenience sampling technique was used. The research was conducted in a rural primary school in Mugla province in Turkey. Nine teachers participated in the study,…

  19. The Meaning of Korean Women's Career-Leaving Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Yu-Jin

    2010-01-01

    What is the meaning of Korean women's career-leaving experience? To answer this question, this study adopted a hermeneutic phenomenology approach. My intention was to search for the deeper meaning of Korean women's career-leaving experience from their perspective. Ten Korean women who had left their careers due to their domestic roles in their…

  20. "Just Clicks": An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis of Professional Dancers' Experience of Flow

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hefferon, Kate M.; Ollis, Stewart

    2006-01-01

    The subjective experience of flow in professional dancers was analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA). Flow is believed to be a psychological state in which the mind and body "just click", creating optimal performance. Unfortunately, sport and performance research have severely neglected reviewing the flow experience in…

  1. The Meaning of Marriage According to University Students: A Phenomenological Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koçyigit Özyigit, Melike

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study is to reveal the meanings university students attribute to marriage. The sample of the study consists of 14 final year students (7 males and 7 females), whose ages range between 22 and 32, studying in the Education Faculty at Ege University. The study is of "phenomenological research design". "Semi-structured…

  2. The Phenomenology of Small-Scale Turbulence

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sreenivasan, K. R.; Antonia, R. A.

    I have sometimes thought that what makes a man's work classic is often just this multiplicity [of interpretations], which invites and at the same time resists our craving for a clear understanding. Wright (1982, p. 34), on Wittgenstein's philosophy Small-scale turbulence has been an area of especially active research in the recent past, and several useful research directions have been pursued. Here, we selectively review this work. The emphasis is on scaling phenomenology and kinematics of small-scale structure. After providing a brief introduction to the classical notions of universality due to Kolmogorov and others, we survey the existing work on intermittency, refined similarity hypotheses, anomalous scaling exponents, derivative statistics, intermittency models, and the structure and kinematics of small-scale structure - the latter aspect coming largely from the direct numerical simulation of homogeneous turbulence in a periodic box.

  3. Ca-Pri a Cellular Automata Phenomenological Research Investigation: Simulation Results

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Iannone, G.; Troisi, A.

    2013-05-01

    Following the introduction of a phenomenological cellular automata (CA) model capable to reproduce city growth and urban sprawl, we develop a toy model simulation considering a realistic framework. The main characteristic of our approach is an evolution algorithm based on inhabitants preferences. The control of grown cells is obtained by means of suitable functions which depend on the initial condition of the simulation. New born urban settlements are achieved by means of a logistic evolution of the urban pattern while urban sprawl is controlled by means of the population evolution function. In order to compare model results with a realistic urban framework we have considered, as the area of study, the island of Capri (Italy) in the Mediterranean Sea. Two different phases of the urban evolution on the island have been taken into account: a new born initial growth as induced by geographic suitability and the simulation of urban spread after 1943 induced by the population evolution after this date.

  4. Autobiographical Memory Phenomenology and Content Mediate Attachment Style and Psychological Distress

    PubMed Central

    Sutin, Angelina R.; Gillath, Omri

    2009-01-01

    In two studies, the present research tested the phenomenology and content of autobiographical memory as distinct mediators between attachment avoidance and anxiety and depressive symptoms. In Study 1, participants (N = 454) completed measures of attachment and depressive symptoms in one session, and retrieved and rated two self-defining memories of romantic relationships in a separate session. In Study 2, participants (N = 534) were primed with attachment security, attachment insecurity, or a control prime and then retrieved and rated a self-defining relationship memory. Memory phenomenology, specifically memory coherence and emotional intensity, mediated the association between attachment avoidance and depressive symptoms, whereas the negative affective content of the memory mediated the association between attachment anxiety and depressive symptoms. Priming attachment security led to retrieval of a more coherent relationship memory, whereas insecurity led to the retrieval of a more incoherent relationship memory. Discussion focuses on the construction and recollection of memories as underlying mechanisms of adult attachment and psychological distress, the importance of memory coherence, and the implications for counseling research and practice. PMID:20706555

  5. Empowered Intersectionality among Black Female K-12 Leaders: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McNeal, Carla

    2017-01-01

    Black female school leaders remain underrepresented as educational leaders in the K-12 context as marginalizing factors persist in the field. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Black female school leaders through the lens of intersectionality. For this research study, intersectionality…

  6. Parental Involvement in Elementary Children's Religious Education: A Phenomenological Inquiry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bunnell, Peter W.; Yocum, Russell; Koyzis, Anthony; Strohmyer, Karin

    2018-01-01

    Biblical texts mandate parental involvement in children's religious education. Researchers consider it important as well. Through analysis of interviews, site documents, and a focus group this phenomenological study seeks to provide a rich description of parents' experience with involvement in the religious education of their elementary children.…

  7. Exploring Meaning of Active Learning with Millennial Nursing Students: A Phenomenological Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Szoka, Amy

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this interpretive, phenomenological study was to explore and understand how millennial nursing students perceived their lived experiences of being active learners in an associate degree program and how it affected student learning outcomes and/or program satisfaction. The research questions guiding this study were based on…

  8. The cruel and unusual phenomenology of solitary confinement

    PubMed Central

    Gallagher, Shaun

    2014-01-01

    What happens when subjects are deprived of intersubjective contact? This paper looks closely at the phenomenology and psychology of one example of that deprivation: solitary confinement. It also puts the phenomenology and psychology of solitary confinement to use in the legal context. Not only is there no consensus on whether solitary confinement is a “cruel and unusual punishment,” there is no consensus on the definition of the term “cruel” in the use of that legal phrase. I argue that we can find a moral consensus on the meaning of “cruelty” by looking specifically at the phenomenology and psychology of solitary confinement. PMID:24971072

  9. Merleau-Ponty's Phenomenology of Language and General Semantics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lapointe, Francois H.

    A survey of Maurice Merleau-Ponty's views on the phenomenology of language yields insight into the basic semiotic nature of language. Merleau-ponty's conceptions stand in opposition to Saussure's linguistic postulations and Korzybski's scientism. That is, if language is studied phenomenologically, the acts of speech and gesture take on greater…

  10. Unlearning to Learn: Investigating the Lived Experience of Learning English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hickey, Pamela J.

    2012-01-01

    What is the journey of acquiring language? What is the journey of sharing it? These are the questions that compelled the hermeneutic phenomenological investigation (Gadamer, 1960/2004; van Manen, 1997) that led to this paper. Guided by the voice of Heidegger (1954/2008), I discovered the necessity of "un-learning to learn" in order to hear the…

  11. The Meaning of the Future for the Oldest Old

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nilsson, Margareta; Sarvimaki, Anneli; Ekman, Sirkka-Liisa

    2003-01-01

    The aim of the study was to highlight the oldest old people's view of their future from a perspective of philosophy of life. Data was collected by means of life story interviews with 15 persons. The analysis was performed by utilizing a phenomenological hermeneutic method and the interpretation was guided by the conceptual framework of philosophy…

  12. The Meaning of Learning on the Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Im, Kyung-Mi; Jun, JuSung

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of travellers on the Camino de Santiago in order to find out the pattern of their travel lived experience and the meaning of learning experience. For this purpose, eight Korean travellers were selected for the study; the study was performed using the hermeneutic phenomenological method.…

  13. From a Dualistic toward a Holistic View of Dance Knowledge: A Phenomenological Analysis of Syllabuses in Upper Secondary Schools in Sweden

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Andersson, Ninnie; Thorgersen, Cecilia Ferm

    2015-01-01

    This article examines how dance knowledge is seen through syllabuses in Swedish upper secondary schools. A starting point is life-world phenomenology. A phenomenological way of thinking allows that human beings are intersubjective, linked with and within the world, which influences the view of dance knowledge and how research is elaborated. A…

  14. Lost in Space? Located in Place: Geo-Phenomenological Exploration and School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hung, Ruyu; Stables, Andrew

    2011-01-01

    This paper aims at revealing the various meanings of schools as more than built physical environments from a geographical-phenomenological (or "geo-phenomenological") perspective. This paper consists of five sections: the first explicates the meaning of "geo-phenomenology"; the second reveals the meaning of "environment" and a dialectics of…

  15. Chronic fatigue syndrome: an update focusing on phenomenology and pathophysiology.

    PubMed

    Cho, Hyong Jin; Skowera, Anna; Cleare, Anthony; Wessely, Simon

    2006-01-01

    Chronic fatigue syndrome is a controversial condition especially concerning its clinical definition and aetiopathogenesis. Most recent research progress has been made in phenomenology and pathophysiology and we focused our review on these two areas. The phenomenology research supports the notion of a discrete fatigue syndrome which can be distinguished from depression and anxiety. The current case definition, however, may need an improvement based on empirical data. Recent advances in understanding the pathophysiology of chronic fatigue syndrome continue to demonstrate the involvement of the central nervous system. Hyperserotonergic state and hypoactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis constitute other findings, but the question of whether these alterations are a cause or consequence of chronic fatigue syndrome still remains unanswered. Immune system involvement in the pathogenesis seems certain but the findings on the specific mechanisms are still inconsistent. Genetic studies provide some evidence of the syndrome being a partly genetic condition, but environmental effects seem to be still predominant and identification of specific genes is still at a very early stage. The recent findings suggest that further research is needed in improving the current case definition; investigating overlaps and boundaries among various functional somatic syndromes; answering the question of whether the pathophysiologic findings are a cause or consequence; and elucidating the involvement of the central nervous system, immune system and genetic factors.

  16. Classroom Management through the Eyes of Elementary Teachers in Turkey: A Phenomenological Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akin, Sibel; Yildirim, Ali; Goodwin, A. Lin

    2016-01-01

    This study aims to explore Turkish elementary teachers' (1) perceptions of classroom management, (2) classroom management problems they experience, (3) factors causing these problems, and (4) their classroom management practices. The study employed phenomenological research design in the qualitative tradition. The participants included 15…

  17. A Phenomenological Study: The Influence of Noncognitive Factors on Academically Unprepared College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thom, Danny Moire

    2012-01-01

    This phenomenological research explored the influence of noncognitive factors in four areas: early educational factors, personal factors, affective factors, and noncognitive skill factors to understand the phenomenon of college students' academic underpreparedness. Findings related to textual categories indicated personal factors such as a…

  18. Living With Chronic Lower Pulmonary Disease: Disruptions of the Embodied Phenomenological Self.

    PubMed

    Pooler, Charlotte

    2014-01-01

    In this article, I present a phenomenological study of individuals' experiences of living with moderate to very severe chronic lower pulmonary disease (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, or both). Phenomenology is a philosophy, distinct from descriptive or thematic research, which is useful as a foundation for scientific inquiry. In this study, I used the lens of Merleau-Ponty to understand and interpret participants' experiences of living with pulmonary disease, and the approach of van Manen for analysis. I conclude that in chronic pulmonary disease, awareness of breathing and the body is experienced in the sounds, sensations, and signals of breathing and the body, and in the experiences of the body-in-the-world. Central themes of being-in-the-world from the study describe the disruption of the embodied phenomenological self: Participants experienced slowing down, doing less, and having to stop due to shortness of breath. Both chronic and acute dyspnea were prevalent and the taken-for-granted aspects of daily activities were disrupted. Findings of this study have implications for public and patient education, and opportunities for integration of experiential aspects within nursing education and practice.

  19. Toward a critical ethical reflexivity: phenomenology and language in Maurice Merleau-Ponty.

    PubMed

    Murray, Stuart J; Holmes, Dave

    2013-07-01

    Working within the tradition of continental philosophy, this article argues in favour of a phenomenological understanding of language as a crucial component of bioethical inquiry. The authors challenge the 'commonsense' view of language, in which thinking appears as prior to speaking, and speech the straightforward vehicle of pre-existing thoughts. Drawing on Maurice Merleau-Ponty's (1908-1961) phenomenology of language, the authors claim that thinking takes place in and through the spoken word, in and through embodied language. This view resituates bioethics as a matter of bodies that speak. It also refigures the meaning of ethical self-reflexion, and in so doing offers an alternative view on reflexivity and critique. Referring to the Kantian critical tradition and its reception by Hannah Arendt and Michel Foucault, we advance a position we call 'critical ethical reflexivity'. We contend that Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology of language offers valuable insight into ethical reflexivity and subject formation. Moreover, his understanding of language may foster new qualitative empirical research in bioethics, lead to more nuanced methods for interpreting personal narratives, and promote critical self-reflexion as necessary for bioethical inquiry. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Evolving the theory and praxis of knowledge translation through social interaction: a social phenomenological study

    PubMed Central

    McWilliam, Carol L; Kothari, Anita; Ward-Griffin, Catherine; Forbes, Dorothy; Leipert, Beverly

    2009-01-01

    Background As an inherently human process fraught with subjectivity, dynamic interaction, and change, social interaction knowledge translation (KT) invites implementation scientists to explore what might be learned from adopting the academic tradition of social constructivism and an interpretive research approach. This paper presents phenomenological investigation of the second cycle of a participatory action KT intervention in the home care sector to answer the question: What is the nature of the process of implementing KT through social interaction? Methods Social phenomenology was selected to capture how the social processes of the KT intervention were experienced, with the aim of representing these as typical socially-constituted patterns. Participants (n = 203), including service providers, case managers, administrators, and researchers organized into nine geographically-determined multi-disciplinary action groups, purposefully selected and audiotaped three meetings per group to capture their enactment of the KT process at early, middle, and end-of-cycle timeframes. Data, comprised of 36 hours of transcribed audiotapes augmented by researchers' field notes, were analyzed using social phenomenology strategies and authenticated through member checking and peer review. Results Four patterns of social interaction representing organization, team, and individual interests were identified: overcoming barriers and optimizing facilitators; integrating 'science push' and 'demand pull' approaches within the social interaction process; synthesizing the research evidence with tacit professional craft and experiential knowledge; and integrating knowledge creation, transfer, and uptake throughout everyday work. Achieved through relational transformative leadership constituted simultaneously by both structure and agency, in keeping with social phenomenology analysis approaches, these four patterns are represented holistically in a typical construction, specifically, a

  1. Scenario approximation in a phenomenological study in Mexico: experience report.

    PubMed

    Guerrero-Castañeda, Raúl Fernando; Menezes, Tânia Maria de Oliva; Vargas, Ma Guadalupe Ojeda

    2017-01-01

    To report our experience using scenario approximation in a phenomenological study of nursing in Mexico. Experience report on scenario approximation to coexist with elderly in order to select the participants of a phenomenological study. During a four-month period in 2016, visits were carried out two groups of elderly individuals where several activities were carried out. Coexistence with the elderly throughout accompaniment in the groups' activities together with joint dialogue allowed selection of those who corresponded to the characteristics of the study objective. Scenario approximation is necessary in phenomenological studies, not only for creating empathy among the participants but also for the researchers to immerse themselves in the phenomenon under study, as shown by the first approaches of the researcher. Relatar la experiencia del acercamiento al escenario de un estudio fenomenológico en enfermería en México. Relato de experiencia sobre el acercamiento al escenario de estudio para convivir con adultos mayores con la finalidad de seleccionar a los participantes de un estudio fenomenológico. Se llevaron a cabo visitas durante el año 2016, en un periodo de cuatro meses a dos grupos de adultos mayores en donde se realizaron diversas actividades. La convivencia con los adultos mayores a través del acompañamiento en las actividades que realizaban en los grupos y el diálogo conjunto permitió seleccionar a aquellos que respondían a las características del objeto de estudio. Es necesaria la aproximación al escenario de estudios fenomenológicos, no sólo con la finalidad de ganar empatía de los participantes sino para sumergirse en el fenómeno de estudio, mismo que se va mostrando desde los primeros acercamientos del investigador.

  2. Pastoral hermeneutics and the challenge of a global economy: care to the living human Web.

    PubMed

    Louw, D J

    2002-01-01

    The author discusses the relationship between a pastoral hermeneutics and the current social context as determined by international communication and globalization. He explores the influence of telecommunications on the human quest for meaning and the implication of this for pastoral care and counseling. A paradigm shift is proposed in terms of care to the living human web. A pastoral assessment which interprets the undergirding philosophy and belief system of globalization and its influence on human dignity is suggested; and a pastoral ministry which takes up its prophetic task and voices the needs of people in terms of a "globalization from below" is explicated.

  3. Proceedings, phenomenology and applications of high temperature superconductors

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bedell, K.S.

    1991-01-01

    Phenomenology and Applications of High Temperature Superconductors, The Los Alamos Symposium: 1991, was sponsored by the Los Alamos National Laboratory, Center for Materials Science, the Advanced Studies Program on High Temperature Superconductivity Theory (ASP) and the Exploratory Research and Development Center. This is the second symposium in the series. High Temperature Superconductivity, The Los Alamos Symposium: 1989, also published by Addison Wesley, focused on the cutting-edge theoretical and experimental issues in high temperature superconductors. This symposium, with its focus on the phenomenology and applications of high temperature superconductors, gives a complementary review of the aspects of the field closely relatedmore » to the impact of high temperature superconductors on technology. The objective of ASP is to advance the field on a broad front with no specific point of view by bringing a team of leading academic theorists into a joint effort with the theoretical and experimental scientists of a major DOE national laboratory. The ASP consisted of fellows led by Robert Schrieffer (UCSB and now FSU) joined by David Pines (University of illinois), Elihu Abrahams (Rutgers), Sebastian Doniach (Stanford), and Maurice Rice (ETH, Zurich) and theoretical and experimental staff of Los Alamos National Laboratory. This synergism of academic, laboratory, theoretical and experimental research produced a level of interaction and excitement that would not be possible otherwise. This publication and the previous one in the series are just examples of how this approach to advancing science can achieve significant contributions.« less

  4. Proceedings, phenomenology and applications of high temperature superconductors

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bedell, K.S.

    1991-12-31

    Phenomenology and Applications of High Temperature Superconductors, The Los Alamos Symposium: 1991, was sponsored by the Los Alamos National Laboratory, Center for Materials Science, the Advanced Studies Program on High Temperature Superconductivity Theory (ASP) and the Exploratory Research and Development Center. This is the second symposium in the series. High Temperature Superconductivity, The Los Alamos Symposium: 1989, also published by Addison Wesley, focused on the cutting-edge theoretical and experimental issues in high temperature superconductors. This symposium, with its focus on the phenomenology and applications of high temperature superconductors, gives a complementary review of the aspects of the field closely relatedmore » to the impact of high temperature superconductors on technology. The objective of ASP is to advance the field on a broad front with no specific point of view by bringing a team of leading academic theorists into a joint effort with the theoretical and experimental scientists of a major DOE national laboratory. The ASP consisted of fellows led by Robert Schrieffer (UCSB and now FSU) joined by David Pines (University of illinois), Elihu Abrahams (Rutgers), Sebastian Doniach (Stanford), and Maurice Rice (ETH, Zurich) and theoretical and experimental staff of Los Alamos National Laboratory. This synergism of academic, laboratory, theoretical and experimental research produced a level of interaction and excitement that would not be possible otherwise. This publication and the previous one in the series are just examples of how this approach to advancing science can achieve significant contributions.« less

  5. What are the neurocognitive correlates of basic self-disturbance in schizophrenia? Integrating phenomenology and neurocognition: Part 2 (aberrant salience).

    PubMed

    Nelson, B; Whitford, T J; Lavoie, S; Sass, L A

    2014-01-01

    Phenomenological research indicates that disturbance of the basic sense of self may be a core phenotypic marker of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Basic self-disturbance refers to disruption of the sense of ownership of experience and agency of action and is associated with a variety of anomalous subjective experiences. Little is known about the neurocognitive underpinnings of basic self-disturbance. In these two theoretical papers (of which this is Part 2), we review some recent phenomenological and neurocognitive research and point to a convergence of these approaches around the concept of self-disturbance. Specifically, we propose that subjective anomalies associated with basic self-disturbance may be associated with: 1. source monitoring deficits, which may contribute particularly to disturbances of "ownership" and "mineness" (the phenomenological notion of presence or self-affection) and 2. aberrant salience, and associated disturbances of memory, prediction and attention processes, which may contribute to hyper-reflexivity, disturbed "grip" or "hold" on perceptual and conceptual fields, and disturbances of intuitive social understanding ("common sense"). In this paper (Part 2) we focus on aberrant salience. Part 1 (this issue) addressed source monitoring deficits. Empirical studies are required in a variety of populations in order to test these proposed associations between phenomenological and neurocognitive aspects of self-disturbance in schizophrenia. An integration of findings across the phenomenological and neurocognitive "levels" would represent a significant advance in the understanding of schizophrenia and possibly enhance early identification and intervention strategies. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Why natural science needs phenomenological philosophy.

    PubMed

    Rosen, Steven M

    2015-12-01

    Through an exploration of theoretical physics, this paper suggests the need for regrounding natural science in phenomenological philosophy. To begin, the philosophical roots of the prevailing scientific paradigm are traced to the thinking of Plato, Descartes, and Newton. The crisis in modern science is then investigated, tracking developments in physics, science's premier discipline. Einsteinian special relativity is interpreted as a response to the threat of discontinuity implied by the Michelson-Morley experiment, a challenge to classical objectivism that Einstein sought to counteract. We see that Einstein's efforts to banish discontinuity ultimately fall into the "black hole" predicted in his general theory of relativity. The unavoidable discontinuity that haunts Einstein's theory is also central to quantum mechanics. Here too the attempt has been made to manage discontinuity, only to have this strategy thwarted in the end by the intractable problem of quantum gravity. The irrepressible discontinuity manifested in the phenomena of modern physics proves to be linked to a merging of subject and object that flies in the face of Cartesian philosophy. To accommodate these radically non-classical phenomena, a new philosophical foundation is called for: phenomenology. Phenomenological philosophy is elaborated through Merleau-Ponty's concept of depth and is then brought into focus for use in theoretical physics via qualitative work with topology and hypercomplex numbers. In the final part of this paper, a detailed summary is offered of the specific application of topological phenomenology to quantum gravity that was systematically articulated in The Self-Evolving Cosmos (Rosen, 2008a). Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  7. Using Qualitative and Phenomenological Principles to Assess Stakeholders' Perceptions of Probability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Newman, Isadore; Hitchcock, John H.; Nastasi, Bonnie K.

    2017-01-01

    Any attempt to influence behavior by sharing a research finding that makes a probabilistic statement (e.g., a p value) should necessarily entail consideration of how consumers of the information might interpret this information. Such consideration can be informed, at least in part, by applying phenomenological principles of inquiry. This does not…

  8. Teaching experiences of second degree accelerated baccalaureate nursing faculty.

    PubMed

    Cangelosi, Pamela R

    2013-11-19

    Despite the extraordinary growth of accelerated second degree baccalaureate nursing programs, little research has been conducted about the experiences of faculty teaching these students. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, this study explored the experiences of 14 accelerated second degree baccalaureate faculty from the eastern region of the United States. The data revealed that many faculty teaching second degree students feel unprepared and want guidance on how to teach these students, which was identified in the theme, Figuring It Out On My Own. This article describes this study and the implications of this theme for faculty recruitment and retention in accelerated second degree baccalaureate nursing programs.

  9. A Phenomenological Investigation of Rural Superintendents' Experiences in the Application of Principle-Centered Leadership

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davidson, Shelby L.

    2015-01-01

    This qualitative phenomenological research study used narrative inquiry to investigate rural superintendents' experiences with the application of principle-centered leadership in their districts. Ten superintendents from rural districts in east Texas were interviewed. Narratives were analyzed by organizing, describing, classifying, and…

  10. Maintenance of tobacco withdrawal by former smokers: a phenomenological study.

    PubMed

    Zampier, Vanderleia Soéli de Barros; Silva, Marcelo Henrique da; Jesus, Rodolfo Ribeiro de; Oliveira, Paloma Prata de; Jesus, Maria Cristina Pinto de; Merighi, Miriam Aparecida Barbosa

    2017-01-01

    OBJECTIVE To understand the experience of former smokers maintaining tobacco abstinence. METHODS Qualitative research using the theoretical-methodological reference of the Social Phenomenology, as defined by Alfred Schütz. The phenomenological interview was carried out in 2016 with 12 former smokers from a city in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The statements were organized into categories and discussed based on the literature. RESULTS The maintenance of tobacco abstinence was revealed in the categories: "Health, sociability, and financial gains"; "Living with the urge to smoke and with the increase of body weight"; "Self-determination and use of replacement strategies"; and "Staying away from cigarettes." CONCLUSIONS These results alert health professionals to the need to provide support to former smokers so they can remain smoke-free. This implies considering not only the negative effects of the tobacco abstinence, but also the social context in which former smokers are inserted that might have an impact on the maintenance or not of the cigarette withdrawal.

  11. Reconnecting: A Phenomenological Study of Transition within a Shared Model of Academic Advising

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barker, Shane; Mamiseishvili, Ketevan

    2014-01-01

    This study explored students' experiences of transition from centralized, professional advising to decentralized, faculty-based advising within a shared advising model at a public research university. Data were collected via focus groups and interviews from 17 participants and examined using phenomenological analysis. Four fundamental themes were…

  12. Influences of Eagle Ford Shale Development on Superintendent Leadership Experiences: A Phenomenological Narrative

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moczygemba, Jeanette Winn

    2017-01-01

    This phenomenological narrative study examined the effects of the Eagle Ford Shale development upon public school superintendent leadership experiences during the boom phase of the energy industry expansion. The four research questions investigated the shale development's influence on experiences in the areas of instruction, finance and…

  13. Statistical turbulence theory and turbulence phenomenology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Herring, J. R.

    1973-01-01

    The application of deductive turbulence theory for validity determination of turbulence phenomenology at the level of second-order, single-point moments is considered. Particular emphasis is placed on the phenomenological formula relating the dissipation to the turbulence energy and the Rotta-type formula for the return to isotropy. Methods which deal directly with most or all the scales of motion explicitly are reviewed briefly. The statistical theory of turbulence is presented as an expansion about randomness. Two concepts are involved: (1) a modeling of the turbulence as nearly multipoint Gaussian, and (2) a simultaneous introduction of a generalized eddy viscosity operator.

  14. Minding the gap between positivism and hermeneutics in psychoanalytic research.

    PubMed

    Luyten, Patrick; Blatt, Sidney J; Corveleyn, Jozef

    2006-01-01

    Two quite different cultures are to be found within psychoanalysis, one more clinical in orientation, more focused on meaning and interpretation, and relying primarily on the traditional case study method, the other more research-oriented, focused on cause-and-effect relationships, and relying primarily on methods borrowed from the natural and social sciences. The history of this divide is reviewed and arguments, pro and con, about the potential contributions of specific types of empirical investigation are discussed. Increasingly, it seems, criticisms concerning the scientific status of psychoanalysis are being responded to by empirical research. This has contributed to a growing recognition within the scientific community of the credibility of aspects of psychoanalytic theories and of the effectiveness of psychodynamic treatment. However, some segments of the psychoanalytic community are concerned that this increase in the quantity and quality of empirical research on psychoanalytic concepts risks creating an empirical one-sidedness, while other segments are concerned that not engaging in systematic empirical research can lead to intellectual isolation, fragmentation, stagnation, and orthodoxy. To counter this polarizing tendency, a recommendation is made for methodological pluralism. Adopting this stance could contribute to an enriched understanding of the clinical process and to the development of new research methodologies to investigate complex psychodynamic hypotheses, thus bridging the gap between the two psychoanalytic cultures, as well as the gap between research and clinical practice.

  15. A Phenomenological Account of Sensorimotor Difficulties in Autism: Intentionality, Movement, and Proprioception.

    PubMed

    Grohmann, Till D A

    2017-01-01

    During the last decades, the focus in autism research has been progressively extended. Today it offers a large amount of material on sensorimotor disturbances as well as perceptive-cognitive preferences of people with autism. However, there are more and more critical voices against an intellectualist perspective in the cognitive sciences. The "enactive approach" as well as a new "movement perspective" to autism challenge the view of autism as a mere "cognitive" disturbance. They criticize the conception of a cognizing subject which is only interested in the world in as much as she/he can extract knowledge and organize it rationally. The present paper discusses fundamental insights from this critical sensorimotor perspective to autism from a phenomenological standpoint. Several important papers have already proven the fruitful combination of phenomenology with sensorimotor-focused research in the field of autism. However, these writings generally concentrate on problems of embodied intersubjectivity as an alternative approach to leading "theory of mind" paradigms. The present article reflects on the role and dimension of sensorimotor problems in themselves and not primarily in the intersubjective encounter. The notion of body intentionality will turn out to be a central heuristic device in order to understand the subject's relationship to the world within a holistic framework, in which the person's way to move, feel, and perceive are manners of understanding his/her own world. Empirical findings on difficulties in proactive and anticipatory control of movement as well as research outcome on proprioception and kinesthetic feedback will provide suitable material for discussing the transformation of body intentionality in autism. Phenomenology will provide the theoretical foundation in order to understand atypical movement patterns as alternative ways for producing alternative meanings. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  16. Graphic Novels in Advanced English/Language Arts Classrooms: A Phenomenological Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gillenwater, Cary

    2012-01-01

    This dissertation is a phenomenological case study of two 12th grade English/language arts (ELA) classrooms where teachers used graphic novels with their advanced students. The primary purpose of this case study was to gain insight into the phenomenon of using graphic novels with these students--a research area that is currently limited.…

  17. Perceptions of Women Laid off from Technology Positions: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnston, Julie

    2012-01-01

    The number of women in the information technology (IT) profession has fluctuated along with the growth of business. The purpose of the qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of women who had been laid off from IT positions during the economic downturn period between 2007 and 2010. The research study was designed to…

  18. Youth-Driven Youth-Adult Partnerships: A Phenomenological Exploration of Agricultural Education Teachers' Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Watson, Jennifer M.; Mazur, Joan M.; Vincent, Stacy K.

    2015-01-01

    This phenomenological study explores the dimensions of youth-adult partnerships (YAPs) in agricultural mechanics classrooms in three rural schools. YAPs presume a positive learning collaboration between young people and adults who work together to achieve meaningful community-based change. Previous research on the development of YAPs has focused…

  19. Teaching Hispanic English Language Learners in the General Education Classroom: A Phenomenological Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mackenzie, Kathleen

    2012-01-01

    This study used a phenomenological study design to better understand the phenomenon of teaching Hispanic English language learners in the general education setting. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and researcher memos, and analyzed using the Listening Guide method. The study focused on white, English-speaking teachers to…

  20. What Brings People to Leadership Roles: A Phenomenological Study of Beef Industry Leaders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gordon, B. Lynn; Ellis, Jason D.

    2013-01-01

    Leadership has been deeply studied in the literature; however, little research exists studying the role of volunteer peer leaders in non-formalized leadership roles in membership-based organizations. This phenomenological study was designed to explore the experience of beef industry leaders in leadership roles. Twelve active beef industry…

  1. Identity Development of Chinese Graduate Students in the United States: A Phenomenological Investigation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Kang

    2013-01-01

    This phenomenological study investigated the lived experiences of identity development of Chinese graduate students in the United States. Through in-depth interviews with 15 participants at a Midwestern research university, the study found that the majority of Chinese graduate students came with a strong student identity that conflated with…

  2. Elementary Teachers' Participation in Edmodo as a Community of Practice: A Phenomenology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reasoner, Cynthia Rush

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the shared, lived experience of elementary teachers' participation in Edmodo as a community of practice. The theoretical framework guiding this research included Lave and Wenger's (1991) community of practice theory and Bandura's social learning theory (1977, 1984) which explained how…

  3. Feeling understood: a melody of human becoming.

    PubMed

    Jonas-Simpson, C M

    2001-07-01

    This phenomenological-hermeneutic study centered on the phenomenon of feeling understood, which was conceptualized by the researcher as a melody of human becoming significant to quality of life. For the first time the Parse research method was used with music as part of the dialogical engagement. The study was conducted with 10 women living with an enduring health situation who volunteered to be in tape-recorded dialogue with the researcher to discuss feeling understood and to create a musical expression of this phenomenon. The finding of this study, which is the structure of the lived experience of feeling understood, surfaced from the dialogues and musical expressions: Feeling understood is an unburdening quietude with triumphant bliss arising with the attentive reverence of nurturing engagements, while fortifying integrity emerges amid potential disregard.

  4. Relative relationships of general shame and body shame with body dysmorphic phenomenology and psychosocial outcomes.

    PubMed

    Weingarden, Hilary; Renshaw, Keith D; Davidson, Eliza; Wilhelm, Sabine

    2017-07-01

    Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is characterized by a preoccupation with a perceived flaw in appearance and repetitive avoidance behaviors. BDD involves severe psychosocial outcomes (e.g., depression, suicidality, functional impairment). Identifying correlates of BDD symptoms and outcomes can inform treatment. Shame, a painful emotion felt in response to critical self-judgment, may be one key correlate. However, research on shame in BDD is scarce and previous studies have not distinguished general shame from body shame. This study examines the relative relationships between body shame and general shame with body dysmorphic phenomenology and psychosocial outcomes. Participants ( N = 184) were recruited online via BDD organizations and completed a survey. Path analysis was used to examine associations between body and general shame with 1) body dysmorphic phenomenology and 2) depression severity, suicide risk, and functional impairment. Both types of shame were differentially related to outcomes. Body shame was more strongly related to phenomenology, whereas general shame was more strongly related to psychosocial outcomes. Thus, it may be important for BDD treatment to focus on reducing both general and body shame. Further research should evaluate whether current treatments adequately address and reduce general and body shame, and whether addressing shame promotes better treatment outcomes.

  5. A Phenomenological Study: Understanding the Management of Social Categorization Diversity Issues Associated with College Athletic Teams

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dickelman, Eric

    2009-01-01

    This qualitative phenomenological research study explored the social categorization diversity management experiences of NCAA Division I, II and III athletic coaches. The research study used a combination of questionnaire, observation and coaching interviews to obtain an understanding of the skills, tools and techniques that these coaches used to…

  6. The Phenomenological Circle and the Unity of Life and Thought.

    PubMed

    Atwood, George E; Stolorow, Robert D

    2016-06-01

    This paper describes the important role of our deep immersions in philosophy in the development of our phenomenological-contextualist approach to psychoanalysis. Influenced most particularly by the phenomenological movement, our collaborative dialogue over more than four decades has led us to a shared commitment to reflection upon the philosophical underpinnings and constitutive contexts of origin of all our theoretical ideas. The growth of our thinking follows an endlessly recurring phenomenological circle joining theoretical perspectives with the inquirers from whose emotional worlds they arise.

  7. Karl Jaspers' phenomenology in the light of histological and X-ray metaphors.

    PubMed

    Vlasova, Olga Alexandrovna; Beveridge, Allan

    2014-03-01

    The study considers the origins of Karl Jaspers' phenomenology. What did phenomenology mean to Jaspers and what was his personal perspective? What metaphors did he associate with it? This paper describes his phenomenological method by using the metaphors of histology and the X-ray. This perspective enables a better understanding, not only of the origins and essence of his phenomenology but also of its value for Jaspers himself. In Jaspers' daily life, he would have been familiar with microscopes and X-ray machines.

  8. Adult attachment and psychotic phenomenology in clinical and non-clinical samples: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Korver-Nieberg, Nikie; Berry, Katherine; Meijer, Carin J; de Haan, Lieuwe

    2014-06-01

    It has been argued that attachment theory could enhance our knowledge and understanding of psychotic phenomenology. We systematically reviewed and critically appraised research investigating attachment and psychotic phenomenology in clinical and non-clinical samples. We searched databases Pub Med, PsycINFO, Medline and Web of Science using the keywords. Attachment, Adult Attachment, Psychosis, Schizotypy and Schizophrenia and identified 29 studies assessing adult attachment in combination with psychotic phenomenology. The findings indicated that both insecure anxious and insecure avoidant attachment are associated with psychotic phenomenology. Insecurely attached individuals are more vulnerable to developing maladaptive coping strategies in recovering from psychosis. The importance of attachment experiences for processing social information, mentalization skills and developing social relationships, including therapeutic relationships, in samples with psychosis is also highlighted. Attachment style is a clinically relevant construct in relation to development, course and treatment of psychosis. Understanding the role of attachment in symptoms may help to gain insight into the development or persistence of symptoms. Associations between attachment and recovery style suggest that it may be helpful to improve attachment security in a context of therapeutic relationships or other social relationships before encouraging people to explore their experiences of psychosis. Associations between insecure attachment and impaired mentalization skills may help in understanding interpersonal difficulties and this knowledge can be used to improve recovery. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

  9. Phenomenology of BWR fuel assembly degradation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kurata, Masaki; Barrachin, Marc; Haste, Tim; Steinbrueck, Martin

    2018-03-01

    Severe accidents occurred at the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) which required an immediate re-examination of fuel degradation phenomenology. The present paper reviews the updated knowledge on the phenomenology of the fuel degradation, focusing mainly on the BWR fuel assembly degradation at the macroscopic scale and that of the individual interactions at the meso-scale. Oxidation of boron carbide (B4C) control rods potentially generates far larger amounts of heat and hydrogen under BWR accident conditions. All integral tests with B4C control rods or control blades have shown early failure, liquefaction, relocation and oxidation of B4C starting at temperatures around 1250 °C, well below the significant interaction temperatures of UO2-Zry. These interactions or reactions potentially influence the progress of fuel degradation in the early phase. The steam-starved conditions, which are being discussed as a likely scenario at the FDNPS accident, highly influence the individual interactions and potentially lead the fuel degradation in non-prototypical directions. The detailed phenomenology of individual interactions and their influence on the transient and on the late phase of the severe accidents are also discussed.

  10. An exploration of tutors' experiences of facilitating problem-based learning. Part 1--an educational research methodology combining innovation and philosophical tradition.

    PubMed

    Haith-Cooper, Melanie

    2003-01-01

    The use of problem-based learning (PBL) in Health Professional curricula is becoming more wide spread. Although the way in which the tutor facilitates PBL can have a major impact on students' learning (Andrews and Jones 1996), the literature provides little consistency as to how the tutor can effectively facilitate PBL (Haith-Cooper 2000). It is therefore important to examine the facilitation role to promote effective learning through the use of PBL. This article is the first of two parts exploring a study that was undertaken to investigate tutors' experiences of facilitating PBL. This part focuses on the methodology and the combining of innovative processes with traditional philosophical traditions to develop a systematic educational research methodology. The study was undertaken respecting the philosophy of hermeneutic phenomenology but utilised alternative data collection and analysis technique. Video conferencing and e-mail were used in conjunction with more traditional processes to access a worldwide sample. This paper explores some of the issues that arose when undertaking such a study. The second article then focuses on exploring the findings of the study and their implications for the facilitation of PBL.

  11. Becoming a College Student: An Empirical Phenomenological Analysis of First Generation College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whitehead, Patrick M.; Wright, Robert

    2017-01-01

    This article is an empirical phenomenological examination of the perceived security that first generation college students have in their identity as college students. First generation college students (FGCS) have been defined as students whose parents or guardians have not completed a 2- or 4-year postsecondary degree. Previous research (Davis,…

  12. Boulder City 31ers: A Phenomenological Study of a Community-Based History Preservation Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lynch, Arthur T.

    2013-01-01

    This dissertation used a phenomenological approach in investigating the development of a grassroots community history-based educational outreach and chronicled its development from inception to incorporation into the mission of an established institution. The research questions focused on Deweyan principles of student-centered, experiential…

  13. Teachers' Increased Use of Informational Text: A Phenomenological Study of Five Primary Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Young, Heather D.; Goering, Christian Z.

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explain how the Common Core State Standards may have influenced teachers' practices and philosophies regarding literacy instruction. Conducted in five kindergarten through second-grade classrooms within one elementary school, this research study collected semi-structured interviews, classroom…

  14. Age, memory type, and the phenomenology of autobiographical memory: findings from an Italian sample.

    PubMed

    Montebarocci, Ornella; Luchetti, Martina; Sutin, Angelina R

    2014-01-01

    The present research explored differences in phenomenology between two types of memories, a general self-defining memory and an earliest childhood memory. A sample of 76 Italian participants were selected and categorised into two age groups: 20-30 years and 31-40 years. The Memory Experiences Questionnaire (MEQ) was administered, taking note of latency and duration times of the narratives. Consistent with the literature, the self-defining memory differed significantly from the earliest childhood memory in terms of phenomenology, with the recency of the memory associated with more intense phenomenological experience. The self-defining memory took longer to retrieve and narrate than the earliest childhood memory. Meaningful differences also emerged between the two age groups: Participants in their 30s rated their self-defining memory as more vivid, coherent, and accessible than participants in their 20s. According to latency findings, these differences suggest an expanded period of identity consolidation for younger adults. Further applications of the MEQ should be carried out to replicate these results with other samples of young adults.

  15. Phenomenology of TMDs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Melis, Stefano

    2015-01-01

    We present a review of current Transverse Momentum Dependent (TMD) phenomenology focusing our attention on the unpolarized TMD parton distribution function and the Sivers function. The paper introduces and comments about the new Collins-Soper-Sterman (CSS) TMD evolution formalism [1]. We make use of a selection of results obtained by several groups to illustrate the achievements and the failures of the simple Gaussian approach and the TMD CSS evolution formalism.

  16. The Audience Performs: A Phenomenological Model for Criticism of Oral Interpretation Performance.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Langellier, Kristin M.

    Richard Lanigan's phenomenology of human communication is applicable to the development of a model for critiquing oral interpretation performance. This phenomenological model takes conscious experience of the relationship of a person and the lived-world as its data base, and assumes a phenomenology of performance which creates text in the triadic…

  17. What Do the Teachers Have to Say? A Phenomenological Study of the Use of Stationary Movement Devices in Elementary and Middle School Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allen, Amanda Hudson

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe the experiences of elementary and middle schoolteachers who have used stationary movement devices (SMDs) in their classrooms. A phenomenological approach was as a foundational exploration of SMD use in the classroom setting because there was a lack of directly related research.…

  18. The Phenomenology of Democracy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shaw, Robert

    2009-01-01

    Human beings originate votes, and democracy constitutes decisions. This is the essence of democracy. A phenomenological analysis of the vote and of the decision reveals for us the inherent strength of democracy and its deficiencies. Alexis de Tocqueville pioneered this form of enquiry into democracy and produced positive results from it.…

  19. Technical attainment, practical success and practical knowledge: hermeneutical bases for child nursing care.

    PubMed

    de Mello, Débora Falleiros; de Lima, Regina Aparecida Garcia

    2009-01-01

    This reflective study aimed to present some aspects of the concepts technical attainment, practical success and practical knowledge, with a view to a broader understanding of child nursing care. Health care is considered in the perspective of reconstructive practices, characterized as contingencies, highlighting the importance of the connection between technical attainment and practical success and the valuation of practical knowledge, based on philosophical hermeneutics, in the context of practical philosophy. Child health nursing can deal with technical attainment and practical success jointly, and also understand practical knowledge in the longitudinality of care. Health promotion, disease prevention, recovery and rehabilitation of child health should be indissociably associated with contextualized realities, shared between professionals and families, aiming to follow the child's growth and development, produce narratives, identify experiences, choices and decision making to broaden health care.

  20. Using Phenomenology to Understand Experiences of Racism for Second-Generation South Asian Women

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beharry, Pauline; Crozier, Sharon

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this investigation was to describe the lived experiences of racism for second-generation Canadian women of South Asian descent and how this affected their identity. Six adult co-researchers shared their experiences of what occurred when faced with racism. A phenomenological approach was employed, out of which five categories…

  1. Physical Education Experiences at Residential Schools for Students Who Are Blind: A Phenomenological Inquiry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haegele, Justin A.; Sato, Takahiro; Zhu, Xihe; Avery, Timothy

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: Recently, researchers have explored the perspectives of those with disabilities to better understand their experiences in physical education. However, little has been done with focusing on those with visual impairments. Utilizing a qualitative interpretive phenomenological analysis framework, the purpose of this study was to examine…

  2. Phenomenology of electromagnetic coupling: Conductors penetrating an aperture

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wright, D. B.; King, R. J.

    1987-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the coupling effects of penetrating conductors through free-standing apertures. This penetrating conductor and aperture arrangement are referred to as a modified aperture. A penetrating conductor is defined here to be a thin, single wire bent twice at 90 angles. The wire was inserted through a rectangular aperture in a metal wall. Vertical segments on both sides of the wall coupled energy from one region to the other. Energy was incident upon the modified aperture from what is referred to as the exterior region. The amount of coupling was measured by a D sensor on the other (interior) side of the wall. This configuration of an aperture in a metal wall was used as opposed to an aperture in a cavity in order to simplify the interpretation of resulting data. The added complexity of multiple cavity resonances was therefore eliminated. Determining the effects of penetrating conductors on aperture coupling is one of several topics being investigated as part of on-going research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on the phenomenology of electromagnetic coupling. These phenomenology studies are concerned with the vulnerability of electronic systems to high intensity electromagnetic fields. The investigation is relevant to high altitude EMP (HEMP), enhanced HEMP (EHEMP), and high power microwave (HPM) coupling.

  3. Listening to Schneiderian Voices: A Novel Phenomenological Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Rosen, Cherise; Chase, Kayla A.; Jones, Nev; Grossman, Linda S.; Gin, Hannah; Sharma, Rajiv P.

    2016-01-01

    Background/Aims This paper reports on analyses designed to elucidate phenomenological characteristics, content and experience specifically targeting participants with Schneiderian voices conversing/commenting (VC) while exploring difference in clinical presentation and quality of life compared to those with voices not conversing (VNC). Methods This mixed-method investigation of Schneiderian voices included standardized clinical metrics and exploratory phenomenological interviews designed to elicit in-depth information about characteristics, content, meaning and personification of AVHs. Results The subjective experience of VC show a striking pattern of VC that are experienced as internal at initial onset and during longer-term course of illness when compared to the VNC group. Participants in the VC group were more likely to attribute origins of their voices to an external source such as God, telepathic communication, or mediumistic sources. VC and VNC were described as characterological entities that were distinct from self (I/we versus you). We also found an association between VC and positive, cognitive, and depression symptom profile. However, we did not find a significant group difference in overall quality of life. Conclusions The clinical portrait of VC is complex, multisensory, and distinct, and suggests a need for further research into biopsychosocial interface between subjective experience, socioenvironmental constraints, individual psychology, and biological architecture of intersecting symptoms. PMID:27304081

  4. [Social actors and phenomenologic modelling].

    PubMed

    Laflamme, Simon

    2012-05-01

    The phenomenological approach has a quasi-monopoly in the individual and subjectivity analyses in social sciences. However, the conceptual apparatus associated with this approach is very restrictive. The human being has to be understood as rational, conscious, intentional, interested, and autonomous. Because of this, a large dimension of human activity cannot be taken into consideration: all that does not fit into the analytical categories (nonrational, nonconscious, etc.). Moreover, this approach cannot really move toward a relational analysis unless it is between individuals predefined by its conceptual apparatus. This lack of complexity makes difficult the establishment of links between phenomenology and systemic analysis in which relation (and its derivatives such as recursiveness, dialectic, correlation) plays an essential role. This article intends to propose a way for systemic analysis to apprehend the individual with respect to his complexity.

  5. Principle component analyses of questionnaires measuring individual differences in synaesthetic phenomenology.

    PubMed

    Anderson, Hazel P; Ward, Jamie

    2015-05-01

    Questionnaires have been developed for categorising grapheme-colour synaesthetes into two sub-types based on phenomenology: associators and projectors. The general approach has been to assume a priori the existence of two sub-types on a single dimension (with endpoints as projector and associator) rather than explore, in a data-driven fashion, other possible models. We collected responses from 175 grapheme-colour synaesthetes on two questionnaires, the Illustrated Synaesthetic Experience Questionnaire (Skelton, Ludwig, & Mohr, 2009) and Rouw and Scholte's (2007) Projector-Associator Questionnaire. After Principle Component Analysis both questionnaires were comprised of two factors which coincide with the projector/associator distinction. This suggests that projectors and associators are not opposites of each other, but separate dimensions of experience (e.g. some synaesthetes claim to be both, others claim to be neither). The revised questionnaires provide a useful tool for researchers and insights into the phenomenology of synaesthesia. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Beyond the blues: towards a cross-cultural phenomenology of depressed mood.

    PubMed

    Postert, Christian; Dannlowski, Udo; Müller, Jörg M; Konrad, Carsten

    2012-01-01

    There is a great cultural variety in the social phenomenology of depressed mood. The aim of this qualitative study was to compare English and Laotian Hmong semantic and pragmatic differences in depressed mood and to assess their relevance for cross-cultural psychiatric research and practice. The first author conducted long-term ethnographic fieldwork from 2000 to 2002 among the Hmong in Laos. Methods included participant observation, interviews and focus group interviews in the Hmong language. The semantic and pragmatic context of Hmong depressed mood tu siab, literally translated as 'broken liver', is compared to that of 'sadness' in Western contexts. Hmong 'broken liver' and English 'sadness' are deeply shaped by culture-specific premises concerning notions of social interaction, morality, interiority, socialisation, and cosmology. Critical attention has to be paid when assessing depressed mood cross-culturally. A social phenomenology combining qualitative and quantitative methods should be developed to analyse important semantic and pragmatic differences of depressed mood across cultural contexts. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  7. A Phenomenological Approach to Understanding Minority Student Engagement with the University through Service Learning Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Withrow, Jennifer

    2017-01-01

    This phenomenological action research study examined the experiences of minority students who participated in service learning activities at Northern Kentucky University. Five individual interviews were completed with students, consisting of undergraduate, graduate, and university alumni. Interviews uncovered five overarching themes. The five…

  8. Cognitive Fictions of Classroom Teachers about the Values They Possess: A Phenomenological Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bektas, Fatih

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of the present study is to examine cognitive fictions of classroom teachers about the values they possess. The study was designed with a phenomenological pattern, which is a qualitative research pattern. It was conducted with 20 classroom teachers who work in the central Yakutiye district of Erzurum who were chosen via criterion…

  9. Coping with breast cancer: a phenomenological study.

    PubMed

    Doumit, Myrna A A; Huijer, Huda Abu-Saad; Kelley, Jane H; El Saghir, Nagi; Nassar, Nada

    2010-01-01

    Breast cancer is the most common malignancy affecting women worldwide. In Lebanon, a country of 4 million people, breast cancer is also the most prevalent type of cancer among Lebanese women. The purpose of this study was to gain a more in-depth understanding of the coping strategies espoused by Lebanese women with breast cancer. The study followed purposeful sampling and saturation principles in which 10 female participants diagnosed as having breast cancer were interviewed. Data were analyzed following a hermeneutical process as described by Diekelmann and Ironside (Encyclopedia of Nursing Research. 1998:50-68). Seven main themes and 1 constitutive pattern emerged from the study describing the Lebanese women's coping strategies with breast cancer. The negative stigma of cancer in the Lebanese culture, the role of women in the Lebanese families, and the embedded role of religion in Lebanese society are bases of the differences in the coping strategies of Lebanese women with breast cancer as compared to women with breast cancer from other cultures. These findings cannot be directly generalized, but they could act as a basis for further research on which to base a development of a framework for an approach to care that promotes coping processes in Lebanese women living with breast cancer. Nursing and medical staff need to have a better understanding of the individual coping strategies of each woman and its impact on the woman's well being; the creation of informal support group is indispensable in helping these women cope with their conditions.

  10. Phenomenological evidence for two types of paranoia.

    PubMed

    Chadwick, P D J; Trower, P; Juusti-Butler, T-M; Maguire, N

    2005-01-01

    Two types of paranoia have been identified, namely persecution (or 'Poor Me') paranoia, and punishment (or 'Bad Me') paranoia. This research tests predicted differences in phenomenology--specifically, in person evaluative beliefs, self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and anger. Fifty-three people with current paranoid beliefs were classified as Poor Me, Bad Me, or neither (classification was reliable). Key dependent variables were measured. All predictions were supported, except the one relating to anger, where the two groups did not differ. The Bad Me group had lower self-esteem, more negative self-evaluative thinking, lower negative evaluations about others, higher depression and anxiety. Importantly, the differences in self-esteem and self-evaluations were not fully accounted for by differences in depression. Data support the presence of two distinct topographies of paranoia. Future research is needed to explore the theory further and examine clinical implications. Copyright 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel

  11. How Adults in Developmental Reading Courses Describe Their Educational Life Experiences: A Phenomenological Case Study Examining Whether Experiences Influence Reading Attitudes and Decision-Making Processes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reece Armour, Ashley

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this phenomenological case study is to explore the reading attitudes and decision-making skills of college freshmen enrolled in remedial language arts courses. The theoretical framework guiding this study is qualitative phenomenology explained by Baxter and Jack (2008). This specific type of research "provides tools for…

  12. A Phenomenological Study of the Office Environments of Clinical Social Workers.

    PubMed

    Jones, Jamie K

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning and uses of the office space among licensed clinical social workers in private practice. Previous research suggests the importance of the office space in clinical practice in regard to therapeutic alliance, client behavior, and the well-being of the therapist. However, therapist offices contain much variation in design. This study looked further into specifically how the therapy room is important through the perspective of the licensed clinical social workers in order to identify common themes. Seven licensed clinical social workers in private psychotherapy practice were interviewed in their offices. Phenomenological research methods were used to explore and analyze their experiences. While the offices contained many physical differences, the intentions behind the designs were similar. Three themes emerged regarding how participants used and designed their spaces. First, participants used their offices to provide care for clients and themselves. Second, participants used their spaces to communicate therapeutic messages and to reveal and/or conceal aspects of themselves. Third, participants also used their space in direct practice. This phenomenological study provided insight into the importance and use of the psychotherapy office space. These findings may be helpful for therapists designing or redesigning their own practice spaces.

  13. A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF DELUSIONS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

    PubMed Central

    Kulhara, P.; Chandiramani, K.; Mattoo, S.K.; Awasthi, A.

    1986-01-01

    SUMMARY 112 patients with final clinical diagnosis of schizophrenia were subjected to detailed mental sums examination using, a structured interview schedule the present state examination. Phenomenology of delusions was determined according to the definitions and criteria of this schedule. The relationships of phenomenology will) socio-demography variables were also studied. It was seen that delusions of persecution were significantly more in males and in patients above the age of 30 years. Educated patients had more delusional misinterpretation, delusions of references and delusions of thoughts being read. Systematization of delusions was more in younger patients. Married patients had more delusions of reference. PMID:21927190

  14. Community College Faculty Perspective on Changing Online Course Management Systems: A Phenomenological Inquiry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eitzmann, Kathleen

    2011-01-01

    This is a phenomenological research study about a college that is changing course management systems for online courses and the experiences that the full-time faculty go through during the transition from one course management system (CMS) to another. The reason this method was chosen was to capture the experiences of the faculty and gain an…

  15. A Phenomenological Study of Ninth Grade Students' with Disabilities Perceptions of Educational Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Talley, Micole Atkins

    2017-01-01

    Few research studies listened to the voices of high school students with disabilities' regarding their lived experiences during placement in an inclusion setting and a resource setting. The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to understand the central phenomenon of the study for 10 ninth grade students with disabilities served…

  16. Seeing Feelingly: A Phenomenological Inquiry into the Mind/Body Experiences of Six Drama Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nigh, Kelli

    2013-01-01

    What happened when six former drama students recalled their mind-body experiences in a drama class that they attended together, throughout their childhood and adolescence? This article draws from a phenomenological research inquiry that examined these drama students' recollections of various unique warm-up exercises. The warm-up was…

  17. Envisioning Complexity: Towards a New Conceptualization of Educational Research for Sustainability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pipere, Anita

    2016-01-01

    This paper aims to present some conceptual insights into the research paradigm of complexity that deals with such problems like sustainability, education, and, more specifically--sustainability education. The transdisciplinary perspective and cognitive approaches of a hermeneutical cycle and semantic waves used in argumentation assist in grasping…

  18. Feeling and Time: The Phenomenology of Mood Disorders, Depressive Realism, and Existential Psychotherapy

    PubMed Central

    Ghaemi, S. Nassir

    2007-01-01

    Phenomenological research suggests that pure manic and depressive states are less common than mixtures of the two and that the two poles of mood are characterized by opposite ways of experiencing time. In mania, the subjective experience of time is sped up and in depression it is slowed down, perhaps reflecting differences in circadian pathophysiology. The two classic mood states are also quite different in their effect on subjective awareness: manic patients lack insight into their excitation, while depressed patients are quite insightful into their unhappiness. Consequently, insight plays a major role in overdiagnosis of unipolar depression and misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder. The phenomenology of depression also is relevant to types of psychotherapies used to treat it. The depressive realism (DR) model, in contrast to the cognitive distortion model, appears to better apply to many persons with mild to moderate depressive syndromes. I suggest that existential psychotherapy is the necessary corollary of the DR model in those cases. Further, some depressive morbidities may in fact prove, after phenomenological study, to involve other mental states instead of depression. The chronic subsyndromal depression that is often the long-term consequence of treated bipolar disorder may in fact represent existential despair, rather than depression proper, again suggesting intervention with existential psychotherapeutic methods. PMID:17122410

  19. Dialogical relationship and cultural imagination: a hermeneutic approach to intercultural psychotherapy.

    PubMed

    Qureshi, Adil

    2005-01-01

    Effective intercultural psychotherapy generally has been conceptualized in terms of a specific knowledge and skills base, combined with relevant attention to the practitioner's cultural attitudes and beliefs. Although such an approach continues to be the gold standard in the field, it has yet to be demonstrated that these components are either necessary or sufficient for effective treatment. This paper presents an approach to intercultural therapy based on Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics. Humans are always in the process of making sense of the world around them, a process which is predicated on culturally given preunderstandings. Cultural difference means that the preunderstandings are rarely mutual, and therefore, communication and psychotherapy are often problematic. These preunderstandings often show up in the form of racial and ethnic prejudice and the therapist is rarely aware of this. Therapist preunderstanding influences all aspects of the psychotherapy process, such as treatment planning, interventions chosen, and the therapeutic relationship. Recommendations are given for improving the intercultural therapy process, and draw strongly on the twin notions of the dialogical relationship and cultural imagination.

  20. Tip-of-the-tongue phenomena: an introductory phenomenological analysis.

    PubMed

    Brown, S R

    2000-12-01

    The issue of meaningful yet unexpressed background-to language and to our experiences of the body-is one whose exploration is still in its infancy. There are various aspects of "invisible," implicit, or background experiences which have been investigated from the viewpoints of phenomenology, cognitive psychology, and linguistics. I will argue that James's concept of the phenomenon of fringes, as explicated by Gurwitsch, provides a structural framework from which to investigate and better understand ideas and concepts that are indeterminate, particularly those experienced in the sense of being sought-after. Johnson's conception of the image-schematic gestalt (ISG) provides an approach to bridging the descriptive gap between phenomenology and cognitive psychology. Starting from an analysis of the fringes, I will turn to a consideration of the tip-of-tongue (TOT) state, as a kind of feeling-of-knowing (FOK) state, from a variety of approaches, focusing mainly on cognitive psychology and phenomenology. I will then integrate a phenomenological analysis of these experiences, from the James/Gurwitsch structural viewpoint, with a cognitive/phenomenological analysis in terms of ISGs, and further integrate that with a cognitive/functional analysis of the relation between consciousness and retrieval, employing Anderson et al's theory of inhibitory mechanisms in cognition. This synthesis of these viewpoints will be employed to explore the thesis that the TOT state and similar experiences may relate to the gestalt nature of schemas, and that figure/ground and other contrast-enhancing structures may be both explanatory and descriptive characterizations of the field of consciousness. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

  1. A phenomenological view of language shift.

    PubMed

    Tsitsipis, Lukas D

    2004-01-01

    Sociolinguistic studies of language shift have in their majority framed their research object in a horizon of theoretically received variables such as class, ethnicity, locality, attitudes etc. In spite of a limited usefulness of such conceptual variables, and of a recently emerging focus on agency, negotiation, and praxis the best results we obtain have not questioned in a coherent and theoretically sound manner the continuing hegemony of mechanistic-metaphorical models (language death, language suicide). In this paper I propose to examine language shift as a multifaceted phenomenon, joining in this respect work by other linguistic anthropologists researching similar areas. I specifically argue that by replacing vertical concepts such as age and generation, and dichotomous logics such as center and periphery with phenomenologically inspired concepts such as typifications, consociateship, contemporariness, and stream of consciousness we are in a better position to generalize about language shift dynamics. Data for this work is derived primarily from the Albanian speech communities of modern Greece, but also from other communities for comparative purposes.

  2. An Exploration of How Foster Parents Educationally Assist Foster Children: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zarate, Grace

    2013-01-01

    Foster children are academically at risk as a result of abuse, neglect and family disruptions. Findings from previous studies have underscored the critical role played by foster parents in monitoring the academic progress of the children placed in the home. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to identify the skill…

  3. Recruitment and Retention of Non-Caucasian Faculty in Southern Community Colleges: A Phenomenological Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sampson, Kristina

    2017-01-01

    The increase in enrollment of African American, Hispanic, and Asian students in community colleges in the Southern parts of the United States of America sparked an interest in researching the hiring of non-Caucasian faculty in similar institutions and regions. This phenomenological study sought to unveil the personal experiences of non-Caucasian…

  4. Trying something new.

    PubMed

    Condon, Barbara Backer

    2013-01-01

    Trying something new is a universal living experience of health. Although trying something new frequently occurs in healthcare, its meaning has never explicitly been studied. Parse's humanbecoming school of thought is the theoretical perspective for this study. The research question for this study is: What is the structure of the living experience of trying something new? The purpose of this study was to advance nursing science. Parse's qualitative phenomenological-hermeneutic research method was used to guide this study. Participants were 8 men and 2 women, ages 29 to 65 who utilize an outpatient mental health facility in the Midwest. Data were collected with dialogical engagement. The major finding of the study is the structure: Trying something new is engaging in capricious exploitations with vacillating sentiments, as wistful contemplation surfaces with disparate affiliations.

  5. Applications of Phenomenology in Transpersonal, Person-Centered, and Existential Counseling.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Souza, Katherine Zimmer; Do, Vinh The

    This article explains that the phenomenological approach in counseling began as a movement to counterbalance the influence of psychoanalysis in psychotherapy and counseling. Phenomenology is defined as the study of the world as we immediately experience it, pre-reflectively rather than as we conceptualize, categorize, or reflect on it. Through…

  6. Phenomenological model of visual acuity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gómez-Pedrero, José A.; Alonso, José

    2016-12-01

    We propose in this work a model for describing visual acuity (V) as a function of defocus and pupil diameter. Although the model is mainly based on geometrical optics, it also incorporates nongeometrical effects phenomenologically. Compared to similar visual acuity models, the proposed one considers the effect of astigmatism and the variability of best corrected V among individuals; it also takes into account the accommodation and the "tolerance to defocus," the latter through a phenomenological parameter. We have fitted the model to the V data provided in the works of Holladay et al. and Peters, showing the ability of this model to accurately describe the variation of V against blur and pupil diameter. We have also performed a comparison between the proposed model and others previously published in the literature. The model is mainly intended for use in the design of ophthalmic compensations, but it can also be useful in other fields such as visual ergonomics, design of visual tests, and optical instrumentation.

  7. Using vignettes to explore work-based learning: Part 1.

    PubMed

    Wareing, Mark

    This is the first of two articles exploring the use of vignettes as an alternative method of presenting the data arising from interviews. The interviews were carried out as part of research into work-based learning: both articles are based on findings from a hermeneutic phenomenological study into the lived experience of foundation degree mentors and their students-healthcare assistants undertaking a foundation degree in health and social care in order to become assistant practitioners. Part 1 presents a vignette of a notional workplace mentor (Staff Nurse Sophie) that describes her lived experience supporting two equally notional foundation degree students. Sophie's perspective will be a distillation of data arising from interviews with eight workplace mentors, all employed on acute wards within a large NHS hospital trust. The vignette attempts to demonstrate the role of the workplace mentor in the support of work-based learning, and the interprofessional factors that determine the landscape of workplace learning for foundation degree students. The potential of a vignette to assist in a deeper hermeneutic understanding of meanings arising from data will be explored, and the limitations of the approach considered.

  8. Idols of the psychologist: Johannes Linschoten and the demise of phenomenological psychology in the Netherlands.

    PubMed

    van Hezewijk, René; Stam, Henderikus J

    2008-08-01

    Before and after World War II, a loose movement within Dutch psychology solidified as a nascent phenomenological psychology. Dutch phenomenological psychologists attempted to generate an understanding of psychology that was based on Husserlian interpretations of phenomenological philosophy. This movement came to a halt in the 1960s, even though it had been exported to North America and elsewhere as "phenomenological psychology." Frequently referred to as the "Utrecht school," most of the activity of the group was centered at Utrecht University. In this article, the authors examine the role played by Johannes Linschoten in both aspects of the development of a phenomenological psychology: its rise in North America and Europe, and its institutional demise. By the time of his early death in 1964, Linschoten had cast considerable doubt on the possibilities of a purely phenomenological psychology. Nonetheless, his own empirical work, especially his 1956 dissertation published in German, can be seen to be a form of empiricism inspired by phenomenology but that clearly distanced itself from the more elitist and esoteric aspects of Dutch phenomenological psychology.

  9. A Phenomenological Examination of the Influence of Culture on Treating and Caring for Hispanic Children with Autism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Estrada, Lynette; Deris, Aaron R.

    2014-01-01

    Researchers have found that cultural factors may lead to lower rates of diagnosis in Hispanic children with autism and that parents lack the knowledge of therapies and practices used in the treatment of the autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Five research questions guided this phenomenological study. The focus of the first two questions was how…

  10. Nuestras Voces: (Our Voices): A Phenomenological Study of Latino Parents' Perceptions of Early Intervention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murphy, Kathleen Mary

    2013-01-01

    There is a rise in the Latino population, a growing need to close the achievement gap, and yet there exists a paucity of research on Latino infant and child development. This phenomenological study of Latino parents explores the thoughts and feelings of a representative sample of parents pertaining to the early intervention services that their…

  11. Student nurse perceptions of risk in relation to international placements: a phenomenological research study.

    PubMed

    Morgan, Debra A

    2012-11-01

    International nursing electives have been identified as a positive learning experience for students. However, whilst there are risks associated with international student placements in general, there is a scarcity of research specifically relating to student nurse's experiences of risk. This study aimed to investigate UK undergraduate student nurse experiences of risk during an international placement. A phenomenological methodology was applied and semi-structured interviews were conducted with student nurses who had recently returned from an international clinical placement abroad. Ten, second year student nurses, studying on a pre-registration diploma/BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies/Registered Nurse programme from one UK University participated in the study. Findings from the study highlighted that students felt that three types of risk existed; physical risk, clinical-professional risk and socio-cultural risk. Perceptions of risk were influenced by sociological theory relating to the concept of 'the other' and students attempted to reduce risk by employing strategies to reduce 'Otherness'. They also applied psychological theory relating to heuristics such as 'safety in numbers.' It also emerged from the study that exposure to perceived risk enhanced learning as students reported that it encouraged personal and professional development in particular and so assisted students in their move toward self-actualisation. It is suggested, and intended, that findings from this study can be applied to the preparation of students to further enhance their safety and learning experience during international placements abroad. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Family members' experiences of keeping a diary during a sick relative's stay in the intensive care unit: a hermeneutic interview study.

    PubMed

    Johansson, Maria; Hanson, Elizabeth; Runeson, Ingrid; Wåhlin, Ingrid

    2015-08-01

    The aim of the study was to explore family members' experiences with keeping a diary during a sick relative's stay in the ICU. A qualitative method with a hermeneutic approach was used. Eleven participants, who recorded nine diaries in total, were interviewed. The collected data were analysed using a hermeneutic approach inspired by Gadamer. The analysis revealed a meta-theme: 'it [writing in the diary] felt like contact' which was created by a feeling of togetherness and the opportunity to communicate with the patient. Keeping a diary likely meets the needs of family members in several ways because it becomes a way to be present at the patient's bedsides, to provide caregiving, to maintain hope and to relay cogent information. However, concerns regarding negative aspects of diary keeping were also raised; for example, the diary created feelings of stress, guilt and failure and exposed intimate details. The diary symbolised the maintenance of relationships with the patients and was a substitute for the usual opportunities for communication. Furthermore, it was instrumental in meeting the needs of the majority of family members in several ways. Nevertheless, the diary did have negative effects for certain individuals, which highlights the importance of an individualised approach. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. On the temporality of creative insight: a psychological and phenomenological perspective

    PubMed Central

    Cosmelli, Diego; Preiss, David D.

    2014-01-01

    Research into creative insight has had a strong emphasis on the psychological processes underlying problem-solving situations as a standard model for the empirical study of this phenomenon. Although this model has produced significant advances in our scientific understanding of the nature of insight, we believe that a full comprehension of insight requires complementing cognitive and neuroscientific studies with a descriptive, first-person, phenomenological approach into how creative insight is experienced. Here we propose to take such first-person perspective while paying special attention to the temporal aspects of this experience. When this first-person perspective is taken into account, a dynamic past–future interplay can be identified at the core of the experience of creative insight, a structure that is compatible with both biological and biographical evidences. We believe this approach could complement and help bring together biological and psychological perspectives. Furthermore, we argue that because of its spontaneous but recurrent nature, creative insight could represent a relevant target for the phenomenological investigation of the flow of experience itself. PMID:25368595

  14. Age differences in autobiographical memory across the adult lifespan: older adults report stronger phenomenology.

    PubMed

    Luchetti, Martina; Sutin, Angelina R

    2018-01-01

    As an individual's life story evolves across adulthood, the subjective experience (phenomenology) of autobiographical memory likely changes. In addition to age at retrieval, both the recency of the memory and the age when a memory is formed may be particularly important to its phenomenology. The present work examines the effect of three temporal factors on phenomenology ratings: (a) age of the participant, (b) age at the event reported in the memory, and (c) memory age (recency). A large sample of Americans (N = 1120), stratified by chronological age, recalled and rated two meaningful memories, a Turning Point and an Early Childhood Memory. Ratings of phenomenology (e.g., vividness of turning points) were higher among older adults compared to younger adults. Memories of events from the reminiscence bump were more positive in valence than events from other time periods but did not differ on other phenomenological dimensions; recent memories had stronger phenomenology than remote memories. In contrast to phenomenology, narrative content was generally unrelated to participant age, age at the event, or memory age. Overall, the findings indicate age-related differences in how meaningful memories are re-experienced.

  15. Depression and creativity - the case of the German poet, scientist and statesman J. W. v. Goethe.

    PubMed

    Holm-Hadulla, Rainer M; Roussel, Martin; Hofmann, Frank-Hagen

    2010-12-01

    Goethe was one of the most creative poets, scientists and statesmen ever existing. Since the age of fourteen, he suffered from severe mood swings. His descriptions of feelings, emotions, and mental states related to temperamental and poetic melancholy, depressive episodes, dysthymic phases, and creativity are unique in respect to their phenomenological precision and richness. Furthermore, his (self-) therapeutic strategies and his self transformation in literature remain interesting until today for psychopathology, psychotherapy and creativity research. Goethe's self-assessments in his works and letters as well as the description of him by others are analysed by phenomenological and hermeneutic methods from the perspective of current psychiatric classification and psychotherapeutic knowledge. From a modern scientific perspective Goethe's mood swings are not to be regarded as expressions of a "poet's melancholy" in fashion at his time but as symptoms of depressive episodes. Several distinctive depressive episodes can be diagnosed which were characterized by long lasting depressive mood, lack of drive, interests and self-esteem combined with social retreat and physical illness. Moreover, Goethe described a mood disorder which fits into the modern concept of "driven dysthymia" or Bipolar II disorder. Goethe's depressive moods were associated with eminent poetic creativity whereas in times of scientific and political productivity Goethe seemed to be protected against depressive episodes. Phenomenological and hermeneutic analysis cannot offer causal explanations but only reasons for understanding and communicative action. In Goethe's life poetic incubation, illumination and elaboration seemed to be associated with psychic labilisation and dysthymia, sometimes with depressive episodes in a clinical sense. Thus, creative work was on the one hand triggered by depressive and dysthymic moods and served on the other hand to cope with depressive moods as well as with suicidal

  16. The Family Challenge of Caring for the Chronically Mentally Ill: A Phenomenological Study

    PubMed Central

    Shamsaei, Farshid; Cheraghi, Fatemeh; Esmaeilli, Ravanbakhsh

    2015-01-01

    Background: Family caregiving for patients with chronic mental illness is influenced by various factors such as political, socioeconomic, and cultural contexts as well as related policies and health services. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the challenges with which the family caregivers of patients with chronic mental illness have to contend. Materials and Methods: The research design was qualitative with a phenomenological approach. The research population consisted of 16 long-term carers expressing interest in participating in the project. The carers were the family members of mentally ill relatives who collected their monthly medications at Farshchian Psychiatry Hospital in Hamadan in 2012. Purposive sampling was used to draw the sample. Data were collected by individual in-depth semi-structured interviews, which were tape-recorded and analyzed via Colaizzi’s phenomenological method. Rigor was assessed regarding credibility, dependability, conformability, and transferability. Results: Our findings highlighted 4 main themes, namely stress and emotional distress, need for education and information, socioeconomic effects and support, and physical strain. Conclusions: Families experience frustrations when providing support and care to their mentally ill relatives. They, therefore, need appropriate support and intervention by mental health services. PMID:26576169

  17. The Family Challenge of Caring for the Chronically Mentally Ill: A Phenomenological Study.

    PubMed

    Shamsaei, Farshid; Cheraghi, Fatemeh; Esmaeilli, Ravanbakhsh

    2015-09-01

    Family caregiving for patients with chronic mental illness is influenced by various factors such as political, socioeconomic, and cultural contexts as well as related policies and health services. The purpose of this study was to explore the challenges with which the family caregivers of patients with chronic mental illness have to contend. The research design was qualitative with a phenomenological approach. The research population consisted of 16 long-term carers expressing interest in participating in the project. The carers were the family members of mentally ill relatives who collected their monthly medications at Farshchian Psychiatry Hospital in Hamadan in 2012. Purposive sampling was used to draw the sample. Data were collected by individual in-depth semi-structured interviews, which were tape-recorded and analyzed via Colaizzi's phenomenological method. Rigor was assessed regarding credibility, dependability, conformability, and transferability. Our findings highlighted 4 main themes, namely stress and emotional distress, need for education and information, socioeconomic effects and support, and physical strain. Families experience frustrations when providing support and care to their mentally ill relatives. They, therefore, need appropriate support and intervention by mental health services.

  18. Phenomenology in minimal theory of massive gravity

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Felice, Antonio De; Mukohyama, Shinji; Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe

    2016-04-15

    We investigate the minimal theory of massive gravity (MTMG) recently introduced. After reviewing the original construction based on its Hamiltonian in the vielbein formalism, we reformulate it in terms of its Lagrangian in both the vielbein and the metric formalisms. It then becomes obvious that, unlike previous attempts in the literature of Lorentz-violating massive gravity, not only the potential but also the kinetic structure of the action is modified from the de Rham-Gabadadze-Tolley (dRGT) massive gravity theory. We confirm that the number of physical degrees of freedom in MTMG is two at fully nonlinear level. This proves the absence ofmore » various possible pathologies such as superluminality, acausality and strong coupling. Afterwards, we discuss the phenomenology of MTMG in the presence of a dust fluid. We find that on a flat homogeneous and isotropic background we have two branches. One of them (self-accelerating branch) naturally leads to acceleration without the genuine cosmological constant or dark energy. For this branch both the scalar and the vector modes behave exactly as in general relativity (GR). The phenomenology of this branch differs from GR in the tensor modes sector, as the tensor modes acquire a non-zero mass. Hence, MTMG serves as a stable nonlinear completion of the self-accelerating cosmological solution found originally in dRGT theory. The other branch (normal branch) has a dynamics which depends on the time-dependent fiducial metric. For the normal branch, the scalar mode sector, even though as in GR only one scalar mode is present (due to the dust fluid), differs from the one in GR, and, in general, structure formation will follow a different phenomenology. The tensor modes will be massive, whereas the vector modes, for both branches, will have the same phenomenology as in GR.« less

  19. Exploring the links between the phenomenology of creativity and bipolar disorder.

    PubMed

    Taylor, Katherine; Fletcher, I; Lobban, F

    2015-03-15

    The links between bipolar disorder (BD) and creativity have historically attracted academic and public interest. Previous research highlights common characteristics of people considered to be highly creative, and those diagnosed with BD, including extraversion, impulsivity, divergent thinking and high motivation (Ma, 2009). In the first phenomenological study focussing on the links between creativity and extreme mood, an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach was used to collect and analyse in-depth interview data from seven people diagnosed with BD in the UK. Four key themes were constructed to reflect and convey the collective accounts: 1. High mood leads to an expanding mind; 2. Full steam ahead; 3. A reciprocal relationship between mood and creativity 4. Reframing bipolar experiences through creative activity. Participants were a small sample of people who were identified as having BD on the basis of a clinical diagnosis and Mood Disorders screening Questionnaire (MDQ), and who defined themselves as creative without further corroboration. Among this sample, creativity was recognised as a valued aspect of BD. Clinical services may usefully draw on creative resources to aid assessment and formulation, and even utilise the effects of creativity on the management of mood. Research demonstrates a high prevalence of non-adherence to medication among persons with BD and this ambivalence might be better understood when the links between extreme mood and creativity are considered. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  20. A Phenomenological Study of Homework from the Perspectives of Elementary Special Education Teachers of Students with Learning Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bennis, Candace L.

    2011-01-01

    Research has shown that students with learning disabilities often do not complete or submit their homework, which may lead to failing grades. The intent of this research was to examine the perceptions of elementary special teachers on assigning appropriate homework for these students. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate…

  1. Consideraciones sobre la investigacion hermeneutica en la educacion en lenguas y culturas extranjeras (Aspects of Applying a Hermeneutic Approach to Foreign Language and Culture Education).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zoreda, Margaret Lee

    Drawing on writings by recent post-modernist thinkers and semioticians, this paper focuses on a combination of hermeneutic and semiotic viewpoints and applies them to defining the nature of interpretation in an educational setting (e.g., text interpretation), the interpreter, and the essence of the act of comprehension and interpretation. The main…

  2. [Phenomenological anthropological social psychiatry--paving the way for a theoretical reanimation].

    PubMed

    Thoma, Samuel

    2012-11-01

    This article tries to link the present lack of theoretical discussion within German Social Psychiatry with a loss of phenomenological and anthropological thought. The so-called Phenomenological Psychiatry used to play a very important role in German psychiatry during the 50 ies until the 70 ies and had strong influences on the first reformers of German psychiatry, such as Walter Ritter von Baeyer, Heinz Häfner, Caspar Kulenkampff, Karl Peter Kisker and Erich Wulff. Their reforms were not only founded by a social criticism put forth by theories such as marxism (Basaglia, Wulff) or structuralism (Foucault) but also by a concrete notion of what it is like to suffer from mental illness and what kind of needs are linked to such suffering. This very notion was given by the phenomenological approach. Finally the article tries to give reasons for today's reciprocal loss of connection of the phenomenological and the socio-psychiatric school. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  3. Experiencing Support During Needle-Related Medical Procedures: A Hermeneutic Study With Young Children (3-7Years).

    PubMed

    Karlsson, Katarina; Dalheim Englund, Ann-Charlotte; Enskär, Karin; Nyström, Maria; Rydström, Ingela

    Needle-related medical procedures (NRMPs) are something that all young children need to undergo at some point. These procedures may involve feelings of fear, pain and anxiety, which can cause problems later in life either when seeking healthcare in general or when seeking care specifically involving needles. More knowledge is needed about supporting children during these procedures. This study aims to explain and understand the meaning of the research phenomenon: support during NRMPs. The lived experiences of the phenomenon are interpreted from the perspective of younger children. The analysis uses a lifeworld hermeneutic approach based on participant observations and interviews with children between 3 and 7years of age who have experienced NRMPs. The research phenomenon, support for younger children during NRMPs, is understood through the following themes: being the centre of attention, getting help with distractions, being pampered, becoming involved, entrusting oneself to the safety of adults and being rewarded. A comprehensive understanding is presented wherein younger children experience support from adults during NRMPs in order to establish resources and/or strengthen existing resources. The manner in which the child will be guided through the procedure is developed based on the child's reactions. This approach demonstrates that children are actively participating during NRMPs. Supporting younger children during NRMPs consists of guiding them through a shared situation that is mutually beneficial to the child, the parent and the nurse. Play during NRMP is an important tool that enables the support to be perceived as positive. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Phenomenological Study of Business Models Used to Scale Online Enrollment at Institutions of Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Dana E.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore factors for selecting a business model for scaling online enrollment by institutions of higher education. The goal was to explore the lived experiences of academic industry experts involved in the selection process. The research question for this study was: What were the lived…

  5. Identifying the Criteria for Planning the Selection and Succession of a CIO: A Phenomenological Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williamson, Charles E.

    2010-01-01

    Many challenges face CIOs in their management of IT systems; yet, very little research is available regarding the issues and constraints associated with their role. CIO leadership is still a subject of inquiry for those with aspirations to pursue such a position. The specific problem of the current qualitative phenomenological study concerned the…

  6. The experience of time in habitual teenage marijuana smokers.

    PubMed

    Dörr, Anneliese; Espinoza, Adriana; Acevedo, Jorge

    2014-01-01

    The research is qualitative; it studies the experience of time in young people who smoke marijuana in excess, given the high rate of smoking in the teenage years, a delicate stage regarding the planning of the future. Our objective is to see how the relationship between past and future plans is manifested in their biography, through goals and actions, in light of their ability to anticipate themselves. Our guiding principle is the ability to “anticipate oneself”, proposed by Sutter, a phenomenological psychiatrist. The information was obtained from the analysis of autobiographies of young persons through the hermeneutical phenomenological method developed by Lindseth, based on Ricoeur. The results reveal that in the biographies the past temporal dimension is characterized by poor descriptions, the present is where they extend themselves most, describing tastes, how they visualize themselves, but showing a lack of clarity in their interests. In the future we see the absence of reference, giving the impression of no progression from the past, and without awareness of the fact that the future possibilities or lack thereof are heavily dependent on present actions.

  7. Conscious Connections: Phenomenology and Decoding the Disciplines

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Currie, Genevieve

    2017-01-01

    This chapter describes how seven disciplinary bottlenecks from four diverse disciplines were analyzed using a phenomenological perspective and includes a discussion of embodied knowing and implications for educators.

  8. Disrupted lives: investigating coping strategies for non-healing leg ulcers.

    PubMed

    Hopkins, Alison

    The aim of this study was to explore the lived experience of people who have non-healing venous ulcers using hermeneutic phenomenology. Unstructured interviews were carried out with five people who also completed a diary. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was utilized to identify themes and patterns. The core themes identified through analysis were biographical disruption, ways of coping, social implications and therapeutic relationships. The emergent themes reveal the impact of chronicity in participants' experience of chronic leg ulcers, their various emotional and problem-focused coping strategies and the positive role the district nurse plays in their lives. This study places leg ulceration within the body of literature on chronicity, linking nursing theory with the insights offered from health psychology.

  9. Constructing Nature with Children: A Phenomenological Study of Preschoolers' Experiences With(in) A Natural Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Porto, Adonia F.

    2017-01-01

    This research investigated young children's experiences of a natural wetland environment as they constructed meanings of nature in a group. This work was framed theoretically on the premise of social constructivism and ethical listening in efforts to phenomenologically understand how children came to know nature through pre-reflective and…

  10. Phenomenological approach to mechanical damage growth analysis.

    PubMed

    Pugno, Nicola; Bosia, Federico; Gliozzi, Antonio S; Delsanto, Pier Paolo; Carpinteri, Alberto

    2008-10-01

    The problem of characterizing damage evolution in a generic material is addressed with the aim of tracing it back to existing growth models in other fields of research. Based on energetic considerations, a system evolution equation is derived for a generic damage indicator describing a material system subjected to an increasing external stress. The latter is found to fit into the framework of a recently developed phenomenological universality (PUN) approach and, more specifically, the so-called U2 class. Analytical results are confirmed by numerical simulations based on a fiber-bundle model and statistically assigned local strengths at the microscale. The fits with numerical data prove, with an excellent degree of reliability, that the typical evolution of the damage indicator belongs to the aforementioned PUN class. Applications of this result are briefly discussed and suggested.

  11. Information Technology Policies and Procedures against Unstructured Data: A Phenomenological Study of Information Technology Professionals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tirgari, Vesal

    2010-01-01

    The phenomenological study explored the lived experiences and perceptions of a purposive sample of 20 IT professionals (managers, engineers, administrators, and analysts) in the state of Virginia, Texas, and Washington DC. The focus of this research study was to learn the perceptions of IT professionals who are or once were in a decision-making…

  12. Polarisation Measurement with a Dual Beam Interferometer (CATSI). Exploratory Results and Preliminary Phenomenological Analysis

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-06-01

    Polarisation measurement with a dual beam interferometer (CATSI) Exploratory results and preliminary phenomenological analysis H. Lavoie J.-M... Polarisation measurement with a dual beam interferometer (CATSI) Exploratory results and preliminary phenomenological analysis H. Lavoie J.-M. Thériault... Polarisation measurement with a dual beam interferometer (CATSI) - Exploratory results and preliminary phenomenological analysis. ECR 2004-372. DRDC Valcartier

  13. Phenomenology of microwave coupling, part 1

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    King, R. J.; Breakall, J. K.; Hudson, H. G.; Morrison, J. J.; McGevna, V. G.; Kunz, K. S.; Ludwigsen, A. P.; Gnade, D. K.

    1984-11-01

    Advances in the development of high power microwave sources have increased the potential for future deployment of microwave weapons. A key ingredient in being able to predict the vulnerability of military systems to such threats involves understanding the phenomenology of how electromagnetic energy couples into cavity like objects, or the so called back door coupling. A similar but much longer standing problem is that of nuclear electromagnetic pulses (EMP) in which the frequencies extend up to several hundreds of MHz. However, compared to EMP coupling, microwave coupling is distinctively different because the wavelength is comparable to the size of the ports of entry. Coupling paths can be highly resonant at certain microwave frequencies, making the shielding against microwave threats difficult. The initial efforts at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to study the phenomenology of back door coupling at the low microwave frequencies (up to 2.5 GHz) are summarized.

  14. Communication when patients are conscious during respirator treatment--a hermeneutic observation study.

    PubMed

    Karlsson, Veronika; Forsberg, Anna; Bergbom, Ingegerd

    2012-08-01

    The aim of this study was to observe, interpret and describe nurses' communication with conscious patients receiving mechanical ventilation treatment (MVT) in an intensive care unit (ICU), and to examine if such communication could be interpreted as caring. Hermeneutic observational study inspired by the philosophy of Gadamer. Nineteen patients were observed on several occasions for a total of 66 hours, when conscious during MVT. A form of caring communication was identified and interpreted as comprising seven themes: being attentive and watchful, being inclusive and involving, being connected, remaining close, being reassuring and providing security, keeping company and using humour and using a friendly approach. Communication that mediated a non-caring approach was also identified and described under two thematic headings, i.e. being neglectful and being absent. Caring is communicated by the caring act of "standing-by" the patient. Caring or non-caring is communicated in non-verbal and verbal communication, in the words used, the tone of voice and behaviour, as well as in the performance of nursing care activities. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. The Nature of the Learning Experiences of Leadership Coaches That Lead to Coaching Competencies: A Phenomenological Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Backus, Clark R.

    2018-01-01

    This qualitative, phenomenological study addressed the research question: What is the nature of the learning experiences of leadership coaches that lead to coaching competency? With the increasing recognition of leadership coaching as a meaningful leadership development experience (Allen & Hartman, 2008; Maltbia, Marsick, & Ghosh, 2014;…

  16. Storying the world: a posthumanist critique of phenomenological-humanist representational practices in mental health nurse qualitative inquiry.

    PubMed

    Grant, Alec J

    2016-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to build on my previously published critique of phenomenological-humanist representational practices in mental health nursing qualitative inquiry. I will unpack and trouble these practices from an explicitly posthumanist philosophical position on the basis of seminal posthumanist texts and my own single- and co-authored work. My argument will be that researchers in mental health nurse qualitative inquiry, who display a phenomenological-humanist narrative bent in their writing, continually endorse the validity of the institutional psychiatric assumptions, practices, and ways of representing human psychological distress. These are all explicitly rejected in more critical forms of qualitative inquiry in mental health, including in my own work. I will conclude that the use of phenomenological-humanist representational practices, in mental health nursing and by implication and extension other healthcare disciplines, is unethical, un-empathic, and morally compromised. This is because such practices present accounts of the worlds of mental health service users, survivors, and carers that lack necessary and sufficient levels of criticality and context. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. A Phenomenological Study on the Leadership Development of African American Women Executives in Academia and Business

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davis, Deanna Rachelle

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the intersectionality of race and gender for African American women through their lived experiences of how they developed into leaders. This research study was designed to determine how the intersection of race and gender identities contributed to the elements of leadership…

  18. A Phenomenological Study of Effective Reading Strategies for Children of Poverty in Nonmetropolitan: Stable School Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reyenga, Billy Shane

    2017-01-01

    This phenomenological narrative study explored the effective reading strategies that successful Kindergarten and 1st Grade teachers used for economically disadvantaged students. The researcher used face-to-face interviews to glean data from 10 successful Kindergarten and 1st Grade teachers. The study findings lead to the conclusion that despite…

  19. Voices of faculty of second-degree baccalaureate nursing students.

    PubMed

    Cangelosi, Pamela R; Moss, Margaret M

    2010-03-01

    The limited research related to accelerated second-degree baccalaureate nursing programs primarily focuses on curricular issues or student experiences. The purpose of this study was to focus on the experiences of faculty teaching these students. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, 14 second-degree faculty from the East Coast region of the United States were interviewed to understand their experiences teaching accelerated second-degree baccalaureate nursing students and how these experiences helped or hindered their teaching and learning practices with these students. The challenges associated with teaching these students were identified in the themes At the Top of My Game and Teaching to Think Like a Nurse. This article describes this study and the implications for teaching accelerated second-degree baccalaureate students. Copyright 2010, SLACK Incorporated.

  20. The childbearing experience of women with spinal cord injury in Iran: a phenomenological study.

    PubMed

    Khazaeipour, Zahra; Nikbakht-Nasrabadi, Alireza; Mohammadi, Nooredin; Salehi-Nejad, Alireza; Shabany, Maryam

    2018-06-14

    This was a qualitative study conducted using an interpretative phenomenological approach. This study investigated the experience of pregnancy and childbirth in women with spinal cord injury (SCI). Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. The data were collected using telecommunication and face-to-face semi-structured interviews with eight women with SCI. The study employed the interpretative phenomenological approach suggested by Van Manen in 2016 and thematic analysis to provide a comprehensive understanding of the childbearing experience of women with SCI. MAXQDA 10 software was used to manage the collected data. Five main themes have emerged from data analysis: "revivification", "fear and concern of motherhood with SCI", "flawed health care system", "maternal experience under a supportive umbrella", and "strengthening spirituality and religious belief". Childbearing had a positive effect on the family relationship, continuity of marriage, and quality of life following SCI. There are potential benefits in establishing a center that provides consultation on childbearing and childcare for women with SCI. Moreover, training for the medical team, which includes nurses, midwives, and specialists is highly recommended. Further research is needed to expand our understanding of childbearing from the perspectives of healthcare providers.