Qualitative research in psychology: the bricoleur-researcher vs. the machine-trick researcher

Abstract

This article aims to examine how research in social sciences is likely to be over procedure-oriented and quite distant from creativity, thus being less effective in dealing with the studied phenomenon. In pursuit of objectivity, psychology researchers have defined experimentation as the best investigation device and consequently devalued interpretive approaches, running the risk of studying mere peripheral phenomena. The present article is conducted through literature research and conceptual analysis around the opposition of two types of researcher positions: the machine-trick researcher, according to Becker’s perspective (1977), versus the bricoleur or communicative researcher, as named by Denzin and Lincoln (2006), and Spink (2008), respectively. In conclusion, the well-trained researcher can get loose from technical formalization in order to create what his/her studied phenomenon and context require. Therefore, it can be asserted that the bricoleur-researcher type better meets the conditions of qualitative research in social sciences.

Keywords

• Pesquisa qualitativa
• Pesquisador máquina
• Pesquisador bricoleur
• Psicologia
• Objetividade.