Traditional role for a quantitative
researcher is to be nonexistent - ideal is that participant act exactly as
they would if you weren't present.
Problem - tends to ignore differences
made in environment by researcher.
Qualitative research says document
such differences, explicate them. Difficult to get their views
without interacting.
(Non-role can be threatening - kid
asked me if I was a spy for FBI, because he had no idea why I was
there.)
Researcher is an instrument in
qualitative research - I gather the data. Those reading report need to
know about the instrument, so you need to describe relevant aspects of
self, your biases and assumptions, expectations, relevant history. Also
keep track of personal reactions, insights into self and past, in a
separate journal - personal notes.
emic = an insider, become full
participant in activity, helps minimize distinction/difference between
researcher and participants.
etic = an outside view, A
fly on the wall. Lots of variations in between, can vary role within a
study - start as outsider and move to membership. Or change to outsider
role at end to verify hypothesis generated as a participant.
Specific roles:
Friend
Book writer
Scholar/expert/teacher
Student/learner/naive ("teach
me")
Advocate/representative to public
Collaborator - participants make
decisions about research with the researcher.
Many others possible
Again, this can vary from phase to phase
(friend role and student role - good for interview).
You negotiate roles - ongoing, not once
for all time. You either conform to role expectations, or you don't - if
don't conform, participants tend to make a different role.
You don't always get the role you want.
I asked students after study nearly complete - they saw me as friend and
teacher (worked hard to avoid latter role- but I asked questions).
Initial entry is via gatekeepers - those
that control access. But that may make it difficult to assume positive
role - they can see you as spy for powerful people (and powerful
gatekeepers can expect reports - easy to compromise role).
Often access to site is very different
than access to participants - some aren't very verbal or trusting. May
need a key informant - able to speak for many people. Sometimes people
most willing to participate don't represent many others. They are
ostracized and looking for friend, but can hinder you if goal is to study
group as a whole.
Often early in study you "muck
around" - just hang around. Sometimes called "mapping"
phase - study environment instead of people (until they get used to you).
May literally map environment - study physical situation in great detail.
Video helps [try this here and now].
If environment is very familiar, try to
look at it in an unusual manner.
