Interpreting the online phenomenological experience

Aleks KrotoskiSPERI

University of Surrey

IPA Conference 2006University of Sussex, 12 September

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?

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?

Online methods• Disadvantages

– Lack of non-verbal cues“Online, I can’t see the other person’s 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

An example -the context

• Online games• Identity

Participants

• 10 female players• 5 wheelchair users• Research Question: elicitation of Possible

Selves through online interaction?• Collection: online and telephone interviews

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)

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)

Comparison III• Online interview:

“It did give me huge satisfaction to be better than others who I know dont [sic] have my problems in R[eal] L[ife].” (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)

Conclusion

• Lack of tangents• Stratification between participant and

researcher• Active construction (self-presentation)• Themes closely related to the interview

questions

Thank you

Aleks KrotoskiSPERI

University of SurreyA.Krotoski@surrey.ac.uk

IPA Conference 2006University of Sussex, 12 September