Phenomenological Project

From humanity comes friendship, but friendship may not be as one-dimensional and simplistic as the common person believes it to be- it may not stop at the surface level. In David Whyte’s book, Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words, he writes on friendship, exposing the true facets of an authentic friendship that oftentimes are overlooked by many people. In Whyte’s opinion, friendship is an eternal experience, or at least an experience in which people take part over an extended period of time. The need for continuous support and forgiveness from and for both parties in a friendship presupposes this prolonged temporality. Naturally, as friendships take constant conscious effort, they require interest

Friendship has been researched with different approaches including both quantitative and qualitative types. One of these is ethnographic approach in which the researcher joins the researched group and carries out observation over certain time. This essay will evaluate its contribution to research on friendship focusing on the Corsaro’s (1985 cited in Brownlow, 2012) ethnographic study on children’s friendship. Firstly, focusing on its benefits. Secondly, moving to shortcomings. Finally, it will evaluate it in the context of social sciences’ methodology.

The method I chose for this analysis is in-depth interview. This ethnographic method will be best because it allows me to understand an

According to Schneider, Elliot, LoBiondo-Wood & Haber (2004), qualitative research methods, search for the meaning and understanding of human experiences in a naturalistic setting. A researcher obtains subjective facts in order to explore the experiences of each participant (Schneider, Elliot, LoBiondo-Wood & Haber 2004). As a result, qualitative research is a means in which a researcher gains an insight into the participant's point of view concerning their personal experiences; in order gain an understanding of the information given. Therefore this allows a researcher to collect subjective information to create a description of the phenomenon (Vishnevsky & Beanlands 2004).

A qualitative methodological approach was the obvious choice in that it allows for the collection and interpretation of stories, narratives, interviews and other forms of non-quantifiable data. A qualitative approach also does not demand or strive for detached objectivity of the researcher but instead encourages the disclosure of researcher bias and the engagement of the researcher with the research and subjects, often in the role of participant-observer (Dade, Tartakov, Hargrave, & Leigh,

The method of qualitative research become key method in the human and social science and also in the education and health science. The definition of qualitative research is a research using methods such as participant observation or case studies which result in a narrative, descriptive account of a setting or practice. Sociologists using these methods typically reject positivism and adopt a form of interpretive sociology (Parkinson & Drislane,2011). It involves the research using data that do not indicate ordinal values. Furthermore, qualitative research includes the different kinds of data collection, techniques of analysis and diversity of theoretical frameworks (Guest; Namey & Mitchell, 2013). According to Creswell(2013) ‘’the final written report or presentation includes the voices of participants, the reflexivity of the researcher, a complex description and interpretation of the problem, and its contribution to the literature or a call for change.

The concept of friendship and what makes a friendship may seem simple depending on what people look for in friendships. Some people may have friendships that are solely based on pleasure or it is because it is useful to them in their time of need or a friendship that gives the person both pleasure and usefulness. A person may have these types of friendships with different people. Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, brings up what the best kind of friendship is. A long-lasting friendship is the best kind (Aristotle 221). This is an important concept when it comes living a good and ethical life. It is not only important to know why some friendships do not last long, but it may also help a person figure out if the friendship they have with

Although the researchers reviewed the various literature to develop practice guidelines, draw conclusions, create the research question, develop a study design, and find ways to control bias. In fact, it presented key terms, such as hermeneutics, phenomenology, and interview methods (Dainty et al., 2014). Descriptive style helps to ‘bracket’ any preconceptions, since hermeneutic methods acknowledge that an experience could influence its interpretation. The hermeneutic phenomenological design linked to the study question, which based on the experience of multiple realities (Dainty et al., 2014). Overall, the literature reviews adequately linked the interview question and design through interpretative phenomenology theory.

Qualitative research design is an evolving process that continues to expand as the research continues. Multiple types of study designs can be used when researching dependent on the information the researchers are trying to obtain. In the article, the researchers described the design as exploratory using semi-structured focus groups for data collection. Recordings were made of the interviews and then analyzed for similar themes. This type of design is called descriptive phenomenology which participants describe lived experiences through detailed interview or conversational process and then researchers bracket the opinions in their study (Polit & Beck, 2014). The method of design was appropriate for the research question and objectives as it allowed for the understanding of feelings and identity. The themes of questioning allowed for

an inductive and descriptive method developed from Phenomenological. It mainly focused on understanding the response of the whole human being. The aim of phenomenological

Qualitative research method involves analysis on ‘quality’ of study object. Specifically, it adopts such approaches as induction and deduction, analysis and synthesis, as well as abstraction and generalization to process all kinds of materials obtained in order to eliminate all but the essential, discard the false and retain the true and proceed from the exterior to the Interior, thus reveal the essence along with inherent law. Qualitative analysis is majorly about the problem

The author reveals his perception on the generic qualitative research by defining it as a new group of qualitative studies “which combines the different methodological approaches” or “which does not have any methodological viewpoint”. From my opinion, if methodologies are combined and the distinct features of the methodology still existing in the study’s framework, we can put this study under the category of multiple or mixed methods research. Moreover, I think we cannot design a new research framework without traditional methodological viewpoint and philosophic assumptions.

In life there are many changes that can cause a true friendship to go wary such as marriage, divorce, birth of children, new careers, and sickness. However, through each of those events the two must remember to keep the intimacy, the letting down of emotional barriers and the expression of innermost thoughts and feelings, “that which makes friendships thrive must be an enjoyable one” and to “always interact” (Karbo 3). Although psychologists continue to research the formation of friendships the great philosopher Aristotle knew exactly how friendships formed and how the lasted.

The phenomenological approach is best for understanding description of lived experience in regards to methods that include observation, interviews, discussion, and participant involvement. The objective is 'to get into' the subject, understand him or her as best as possible, in order to understand her perspective and interpret him as he does himself. It can also be used for interviews and for textual analyses such as memoirs and other accounts of an individual's life. What phenomenology essentially involves is bracketing one's assumptions in an act called 'epoche' so that one attempts to perceive the other and occurrences objectively (Ihde 1986; Wann, 1964).

Qualitative research is the technique that is used as a part of exploratory research and to derive the independent variables. There are different methods through which we can conduct the qualitative research. As a part of this study we have adopted the following methods: