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Questioning the researcher's existence
from deconstruction to practice
pp. 153-161
Abstract
This paper asks how we should move "beyond" social constructionist critique in psychology. It argues that an alternative to the generation of new anti-individualistic theories in "new paradigm" psychology is needed. Such psychology which gives social constructionism its brief might be made good by a more subjectively engaged form of realism. The paper shows how a justification for such a realism can be derived from postmodern critiques in psychology, instancing the deconstruction of texts in developmental psychology as illustration. Focusing on ambiguities and possibilities in the term 'subjectivity" as contrastingly espoused by Kierkegaard (1846) and Hollway (1989), it is argued that the value of empirical research will be lost in psychology if it is not seen as an invitation for the researcher to unravel the nexus of discursive and historical circumstances which constitute his or her ownmost research "interest"-that is, as an invitation to become more 'subjective". This approach has significant implications for both the conduct and "dialogic" writing-up of research.
Publication details
Published in:
Stam Henderikus J., Mos Leendert, Thorngate Warren, Kaplan Bernie (1993) Recent trends in theoretical psychology: selected proceedings of the fourth biennial conference of the international society for theoretical psychology june 24–28, 1991. Dordrecht, Springer.
Pages: 153-161
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4612-2746-5_14
Full citation:
Bradley Ben (1993) „Questioning the researcher's existence: from deconstruction to practice“, In: H. J. Stam, L. Mos, W. Thorngate & B. Kaplan (eds.), Recent trends in theoretical psychology, Dordrecht, Springer, 153–161.