Participants and researchers searching for meaning: Conceptual developments for interpretative phenomenological analysis

ABSTRACT

In this article I offer a theoretical account of interpretative phenomenological analysis’s (IPA’s) position in relation to meaning-making by participant and researcher. In doing this, I draw on a range of theoretical writing on meaning. I then apply these ideas to a series of empirical studies on pain which I have been involved in. The intention, therefore, is for the article to contribute a theoretically informed and empirically grounded extension to the literature on IPA.

KEYWORDS:

• Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis
• IPA
• meaning
• pain

Notes

¹ Smith, JA, 2017, ‘Getting at meaning and meaning making: interpretative phenomenological analysis in action’, Keynote presentation, International Conference on Meaning, Roehampton University, London, June.Smith, JA 2018, ‘Interpretative phenomenological analysis in action’, Keynote presentation, Qualitative Report Conference, Nova Southeastern University of Florida, January.Smith, JA 2018, ‘Trying to make sense of pain: the development & application of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) in psychology’, Keynote presentation, Narratives of Suffering & Recovery Symposium, University of Poitiers, France, April.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jonathan A. Smith

Jonathan A. Smith is Professor of Psychology at Birkbeck University of London. He developed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) as a particular experiential, qualitative approach within psychology. He has employed IPA to examine topics in a wide range of areas. At Birkbeck he leads the IPA Research Group. Jonathan is first author on the book on IPA (Smith, Flowers, Larkin, 2009, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Theory, Method & Research. London Sage). IPA is now employed in a wide range of disciplines and in many countries throughout the World. Jonathan also has an interest in qualitative approaches more generally and is the Editor of Qualitative Psychology, London: Sage (2015, 3rd Ed).