The Phenomenological House: A Metaphoric Framework for Descriptive Phenomenological Psychological Design and Analysis

Descriptive phenomenology investigates the essence of how phenomena are consciously experienced (Giorgi, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2012; Moustakas, 1994; Vagle, 2018). Researchers wishing to conduct descriptive phenomenological studies may struggle to find answers to the complex questions that arise. Misunderstood concepts and practices may lead to philosophical conflict, ultimately threatening validity and rigor. This manuscript provides readers a metaphoric framework “the phenomenological house” to understand and analyze Giorgi’s phenomenological psychological conceptualization of essence as a universal structural description of how a phenomenon is lived. Ultimately, the phenomenological house provides a pathway for qualitative researchers to navigate descriptive phenomenology and contribute to its progression

Cultural Identity Silencing of Native Americans in Education

This descriptive phenomenological study investigated: How is cultural identity silencing psychologically experienced by young adult Native Americans in education? Cultural identity silencing is the denial of the existence of cultural identity. Phenomenological interviewing and Giorgian analysis resulted in a descriptive structure of how cultural identity silencing is psychologically experienced by Native Americans in educational settings. These results contribute to a greater understanding of how Native Americans experience colonialist educational systems and thus has implications for survivance, identity development, and the decolonialization of education

Deconstructing the Phenomenological House: A Philosophical Tool to Learning Descriptive Phenomenological Analysis

Utilizing Giorgian psychological phenomenological descriptive analysis and the presenters own research journey, this presentation will provide participants with new tools for designing, conducting, and defending descriptive qualitative studies. Descriptive phenomenology explores the universal structural “how” of experienced phenomena (Giorgi, 2009). Due to its complex philosophical base and limited popularity in research fields including education, counseling, and psychology, new qualitative researchers who want to conduct descriptive studies are often left struggling to find answers to the complex questions that arise while navigating the methodology. This leaves the potential for descriptive studies to include concepts and practices which philosophically conflict, ultimately threatening the validity of the work. The goals of this presentation are to (a) provide the audience with an example of how threats to validity arise during descriptive phenomenological research using the presenter’s own experience as an example; (b) increase the audience’s awareness and understanding of descriptive phenomenology using a new metaphoric tool “the phenomenological house” which was created by the presenter during their research journey; (c) demonstrate how this tool can be utilized in learning and teaching descriptive phenomenological research methodology. Ultimately, this presentation intends to provide a pathway for contemporary qualitative researchers to navigate descriptive phenomenology and enhance the quality of future research