Rethinking the factuality of ‘contextual’ factors in an ethnomethodological mode: towards a reflexive understanding of action-context dynamism in the theorization of coaching

Abstract

In this paper, an argument is made for the revisitation of Harold Garfinkel's classic body of ethnomethodological research in order to further develop and refine models of the action-context relationship in coaching science. It is observed that, like some contemporary phenomenological and post-structural approaches to coaching, an ethnomethodological perspective stands in opposition to dominant understandings of contexts as semi-static causal ‘variables’ in coaching activity. It is further observed, however, that unlike such approaches – which are often focused upon the capture of authentic individual experience – ethnomethodology operates in the intersubjective domain, granting analytic primacy to the coordinative accomplishment of meaningful action in naturally-occurring situations. Focusing particularly on Garfinkel's conceptualization of action and context as transformable and, above all, reflexively-configured, it is centrally argued that greater engagement with the ethnomethodological corpus of research has much to offer coaching scholarship both theoretically and methodologically.

Keywords:

• context
• coaching process
• ethnomethodology
• indexicality
• reflexivity

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Erratum

Notes

^1. Those emanating from the Foucauldian and phenomenological studies detailed above notwithstanding.

^2. In short, using predetermined, and therefore to some extent arbitrary, deductive categorization in the analysis of situated activities.

^3. Drawing on Fiedler's ‘contingency theory’ (1964).

^4. Which is to say: ‘objectively readable.’

^5. One might consider the coded ways that a base-coach, or a catcher, in baseball communicates strategic information to other team members.

^6. For those unfamiliar with the lore of UK football, the term ‘throwing the teacup’ has become something of a catch-all expression for a manager launching near-to-hand projectiles in anger while expressing disappointment at a team's performance. Perhaps the most famous case of literal teacup throwing was a well-documented incident involving Manchester United's Sir Alex Ferguson in 1997.

^7. A thought experiment, as it is not generally possible to actually coach during a penalty shootout.

^8. Which, in many respects, should also be essential skills for coaches themselves.

^9. Although, very recently, Miller (2012) has outlined the potential value of the ethnomethodologically-principled method of Discursive Psychology explicitly within the coaching domain, using formal data from coaches' half-time team-talks, while Groom, Cushion, and Nelson (2012) have utilized applied Conversation Analysis to examine talk within the delivery of video-based performance feedback in elite youth football.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Paul K. Miller

This article was originally published with errors. This version has been corrected. Please see Erratum http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21640629.2013.818340