Interpreting the online phenomenological experience

1
Interpreting the online phenomenological
experience

• Aleks Krotoski
• SPERI
• University of Surrey
• IPA Conference 2006
• University of Sussex, 12 September

2
The Internet as an experiential phenomenon

• The Internet and online community
• Disproximate grouping
• Belongingness
• Openness and honesty
• The Internet and identity Anonymity
• Self-presentation
• Mutability/Multiplicity
• Self-efficacy
• Norms?

3
Internet Methods

• Advantages
• Access
• Phenomenon-relevant
• Semi-structured interviews
• Synchronous modes (Stromer-Galley, 2003 Mann
  Stewart, 2000 Chase, 2000)
• Saves transcription time
• Quality, not quantity?

4
Online methods

• Disadvantages
• Lack of non-verbal cues
• Online, I cant see the other persons face,
  hear their tone of voice, or get any sense of who
  they are beyond the words I see scrolling up my
  own screen. This does not mean the interview is
  less interesting. Through their words and through
  my interaction with them. I could sense joy,
  anger, passion, bitterness, happiness. In fact, I
  was surprised and impressed by the intensity of
  conversations. (p. 71, Markham, 1998)
• Role of emotional shortcuts?
• Deception
• Research interferences
• Sampling knowing where to look

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An example -the context

• Online games
• Identity

6
Participants

• 10 female players
• 5 wheelchair users
• Research Question elicitation of Possible Selves
  through online interaction?
• Collection online and telephone interviews

7
Comparison I

• Telephone Interview
• I suppose just thinking that I can do things,
  yeah. You know, you start to be able to play a
  game and you think, well I can play that as well
  as someone else can. So, yeah, that, that does
  help. A positive attitude, I suppose, it does
  make you feel more positive in general,
  definitely. (Marcus)

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Comparison II

• Online interview
• I've been imagining myself being able to walk,
  fly, pilot a starship for a long time. Being in
  a virtual world, able to walk or fly, isn't too
  new a concept for me. I'd say, for me, my
  experience in a wheelchair probably makes it as
  difficult to reorient my view of walking as it is
  for someone who does walk -- I'd like to think I
  have an edge in the "no preconceived mindsets
  of...how to work in strange, difficult
  environments." (Aaron)

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Comparison III

• Online interview
• It did give me huge satisfaction to be better
  than others who I know dont sic have my
  problems in Real Life. (Peter)
• From an interest... standpoint, it has
  definately solidifed sic what my true interests
  lie in. Unlike the usual game...player, I want to
  understand more about the craft, how games are
  made, and how they do...bring people together.
  (Mandy)

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Conclusion

• Lack of tangents
• Stratification between participant and researcher
• Active construction (self-presentation)
• Themes closely related to the interview questions

11

• Thank you

Aleks Krotoski SPERI University of
Surrey A.Krotoski_at_surrey.ac.uk IPA Conference
2006 University of Sussex, 12 September