Abstract
This article seeks to clarify the way in which phenomenology is conceptualized and applied in empirical research in psychiatry and psychology, emphasizing the suitability of qualitative research. It will address the “What,” “Why,” and “How” of phenomenological interviews, providing not only preliminary answers but also a critical analysis and pointing to future directions for research. The questions it asks are: First, what makes an interview phenomenological? What are phenomenological interviews used for in empirical research in psychiatry and psychology? Second, why do we carry out phenomenological interviews with patients? Is merely contrasting phenomenological hypotheses or concepts enough to do justice to the patients’ involvement? Third, how should we conduct phenomenological interviews with patients? How can we properly perform analysis in empirical phenomenological research in psychiatry and psychology? In its conclusion, the article attempts to go a step beyond these methodological questions, highlighting the “bigger picture”: namely, the phenomenological scientific paradigm and its core philosophical claim of reality as mind-dependent.
Highlights
An initial proposal in favor of “naturalizing phenomenology” was presented in the article “First-person methodologies: What, Why, How?” published by Varela and Shear (1999) in the Journal of Consciousness Studies
An important requirement of neurophenomenology was that both experimenter and experimental subject must learn the Husserlian phenomenological method
Whether to find evidence supporting already-existing insights and concepts or to make it possible for new insights and concepts to emerge from the data itself, phenomenological empirical research must take on board patients’ accounts of their subjective experience
Summary
Specialty section: This article was submitted to Consciousness Research, a section of the journal Frontiers in Psychology. This article seeks to clarify the way in which phenomenology is conceptualized and applied in empirical research in psychiatry and psychology, emphasizing the suitability of qualitative research. It will address the “What,” “Why,” and “How” of phenomenological interviews, providing preliminary answers and a critical analysis and pointing to future directions for research. The questions it asks are: First, what makes an interview phenomenological? What are phenomenological interviews used for in empirical research in psychiatry and psychology?
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
