Ethnography as a Linking Method between Psychology and Sociology: Research Design

Abstract

Ethnography is one of the most relevant methods in qualitative research, and both psychology and sociology use qualitative methods in their research. This is essential when the purpose is to keep the historical memory of different population in relation to facts or experiences from the past. In a firstly phase, ethnography could expedite study's variables description. Based on the implication of the variable's conceptualization obtained by this first qualitative phase (ethnographic), in subsequent phases of the research, researchers might deepen in the concepts still using descriptive methodology but quantitative, which is typical of both psychology and sociology, for instance, in the quiz methodology. The aim of this study is to show how ethnography can be a relevant method in both psychological and sociologic research when they interact to explain facts and experiences from the past.To illustrate this thought, a study on women who practiced sport in the Spanish dictatorship period (1936-1975) would be shown to explain the variable determination through ethnography methods as life story and in-depth interview. Twenty four Spanish women who practiced sport (in different regions, from different socioeconomic level, either rural or urban residence and between leisure and competitive sport level) were interviewed to accomplish information about their personal and sport life. This material was ethnographic analyzed to categorize it into five dimensions which explain part of the women experiences in that convulsed period. The categories or dimensions derived were aesthetics, culture, nutrition, community and morality, and showed agreements and disagreements in their perception reflecting a complex women world in where sport was a liberating activity as well as relevant experience which has traced in their personalities and has influence not only their but also their progeny life.