Analytical Pluralism in Qualitative Research: A Meta-Study

Abstract

Recent interest in analytical pluralism—the application of more than one qualitative analytical method to a single data set—has demonstrated its potential to produce multiple, complex, and varied understandings of phenomena. However, tensions remain regarding the commensurability of findings produced from diverse theoretical frameworks, the practical application of multiple methods of analysis, and the capacity of pluralism to contribute to knowledge in psychology. This study addresses these issues through a critical interpretation of existing qualitative studies that utilized analytical pluralism. Using a meta-study design, we examined the use of theory, application of methods, and production of findings in studies that had adopted qualitative analytical pluralism. Following comprehensive database searches, ten articles were included in the analysis. Epistemological and ontological considerations, the influence of decisions made in the practical application of pluralism, and approaches to interpreting findings produced from multiple analyses are discussed, and implications for future research are considered.

Keywords:

• methodology
• multiple methods
• pluralistic approach
• polyvocal
• psychology
• qualitative data analysis
• theory

Notes

1. We were unable to judge how many forms of phenomenological analysis were performed by King et al. (2008), as although three separate individual commentaries were presented, five analysts conducted individual interpretations, and six contributed to the consensual analysis.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nicola J. Clarke

Nicola J. Clarke is a PhD student at Loughborough University. Using a phenomenological approach and methodological pluralism, her research explores parenting in youth sport settings and the experiences of young sports performers. She is interested in how pluralism can be used to enhance understanding of how psychological phenomena are experienced, and how these experiences are constructed through interaction with the world.

Martin E. H. Willis

Martin E. H. Willis is a PhD student at Loughborough University. He is keenly interested in methodological issues and the philosophical underpinnings of research. As part of his PhD, he is currently developing a bricolage approach to qualitative inquiry based around a “diffraction” metaphor. Substantively, this project explores nurses’ moral/ethical experiences and any associated distress, primarily focusing on feelings.

Jemima S. Barnes

Dr. Jemima S. Barnes completed her PhD at Loughborough University, where her research focused on social comparison processes in the physical education context. Her philosophical position is predominantly post-positivist; however, she has a keen interest in understanding how pluralism can begin to reconcile divergent ontological and epistemological approaches to research.

Nick Caddick

Nick Caddick is a PhD student in the Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport at Loughborough University. His research explores the effects of surfing upon the health and well-being of combat veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methodologically, Nick’s research is conducted primarily from a narrative perspective, exploring the life stories of veterans diagnosed with PTSD.

John Cromby

Dr. John Cromby is a psychologist in the SSEHS, Loughborough University. His research explores how bodies and social processes intersect to constitute psychological phenomena, with a focus on substantive topics such as mental health and emotional responses to crime. He has also contributed to relevant conceptual and methodological debates.

Hilary McDermott

Dr. Hilary McDermott is a Lecturer in Psychology within the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University. She is responsible for teaching qualitative research methods on the BPS accredited Psychology Degree at Loughborough University. Her research expertise concerns health and well-being with a strong emphasis on injury prevention, particularly within the context of work.

Gareth Wiltshire

Gareth Wiltshire is a PhD student at Loughborough University and a Lecturer at Cardiff Metropolitan University. His research investigates the social processes which shape physical activity and health for young people. Gareth has an interest in methodological pluralism as his own work faces interdisciplinary challenges both theoretically and analytically.