'Is it just me...?': Q methodology and representing the marginal

In this paper Q as a constructionist methodology is considered through its engagement with marginality. Drawing primarily on debates within and examples from the discipline of psychology, we aim to illustrate ways in which issues of marginality become relevant to constructionist concerns around knowledge production. A key focus of constructionism(s) is on multiple versions of social phenomena in situated and local contexts. This position represents a move away from, and a challenge to, totalising forms of knowledge associated with more objectivist epistemologies. Broadly speaking, Q’s ability to tap into a range of perspectives or, what we will refer to here as, narratives – marginal or otherwise – provides a way to explicate constructionist concerns with multiplicity and unsettle mainstream notions of coherent and total knowledges of the social world. To contextualise the ways in which Q works with notions of marginality, this paper begins by delineating how Q itself is (re)produced as an othered methodology in debates around its location within the quantitative ‐qualitative dichotomy. We move on to consider the ways in which Q may offer a distinctive contribution within constructionist‐informed research through its ability to make expressions of marginality manifest

We are a real family: A Q methodological study on the experience of stepmothers

While stepfamilies are not a new phenomenon, with recent divorce rates, they are now common and more likely to be formed following relationship breakdown rather than death (Pryor, 2004). Stepmothers today have to contend with the wicked stepmother myth, the idealization of motherhood, and gendered notions of parenting, not to mention discourses which position the biological nuclear family as the ideal and, by implication, other forms as deviant. Moreover, the limited previous research suggests greater stress for stepmothers than stepfathers (Nielsen, 1999; Christian, 2005). This study used Q methodology to explore the range of subjective experiences of stepmothers. A diverse sample of 29 stepmothers completed a 61-item Q sort generating six factors or distinct views of the experience of stepmothering. This paper analyses, names and presents these accounts. The results suggest greater variety and complexity of experience than is indicated by previous studies whilst the discussion focuses on the relevance and impact of the culturally dominant narratives mentioned above within stepmothers’ reports of their experience

Hapless, helpless, hopeless: An analysis of stepmothers’ talk about their (male) partners

The identity of stepmother is, in many ways, a troubled one – constructed as ‘other’ and often associated with notions of ‘wickedness’ in literature and everyday talk. This paper reports findings from a study on the difficulties faced by stepmothers and how they use talk about their (male) partners, often constructing men as hapless, helpless or hopeless, to repair their ‘troubled’ identities. The data were collected from a web forum for stepmothers based in the UK and thirteen semi-structured face-to-face interviews with stepmothers. The analysis took a synthetic narrative-discursive methodological approach, underpinned by feminist theory with particular attention to the discourses that were drawn on by participants and the constraints that these imposed. This paper presents these findings in relation to three constructions of their partners through which repair work was attempted: men as in need of rescue; men as flawed fathers; and men as damaged. The paper concludes with some suggestions for supporting stepmothers by challenging dominant narratives around families in talk, in the media and in government and institutional policies

Standing still whilst ‘looking back and moving forwards’: the personal accounts of POWS members in the here and now

In 2017, the BPS Psychology of Women Section (POWS) celebrated its 30th anniversary. Within the year that succeeded it was re-named the Psychology of Women and Equalities Section (POWES). This paper reflects not only on POWS (as it was named when this research was conducted) as an organization in the past, but also on the everyday accounts of those who are involved with the Section. Using an online survey including a story completion task, we explored how participants (n= 26) came to POWS; what roles they have engaged in within and outside of the section; and how they see POWS and feminist activism in Psychology moving forward. By analysing thematically, core themes around past reflections, a call for a more radical future and some central challenges were identified. We reflect on these findings and discuss how the positive virtues attributed to POWS exist alongside the tensions between embodying either a critic or a conformist status

Rhoda K. Unger (1939-2019)

Memorializes Rhoda K. Unger (1939–2019). Unger was a feminist empiricist psychologist who advocated for the importance of asking the right questions. Her academic work, her activism, and her engagement with psychology as a discipline were all informed by a heartfelt and enduring commitment to social justice. Laudably, she mentored, encouraged, and supported countless early career feminist scholars as they found their way in the discipline. In 1998, Rhoda became professor emerita after almost 30 years at Montclair State University and joined Brandeis University as resident scholar at the Women’s Studies Research Center. Across her career, she maintained a commitment to activism within psychology. She served as president of the American Psychological Association (APA) divisions the Society for the Psychology of Women (1980 –1981) and the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPPSI; 1998 –1999) and was the inaugural editor of the SPSSI journal Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy.</i

Calling it out? A Q Methodological Study of Sexual Harassment Labelling

The public condemnation of high-profile men accused of gendered violence in 2017 resulted in an upsurge of women labelling past experiences as sexual harassment. This study used Q methodology to explore understandings of sexual harassment in the UK. Forty participants sorted 62 statements into quasi-normal grids which were factor analyzed (by person). Eight factors were identified which were titled: Sex Not Sexism, Sexualized Discriminations, Victim Voice, Sameness and Difference, Power/Sex, Repeated Power Abuse, Personal Boundaries, and Masculinity and Heterosexism. Taken together, they signal that feminist efforts to articulate the experience of sexual harassment have gained ground during this period

POWES is pronounced ‘feminist’: Negotiating academic and activist boundaries in the talk of UK feminist psychologists

The Psychology of Women and Equalities Section (POWES) of the British Psychological Society (BPS) accounts for much of the feminist action in British psychology and beyond. In this qualitative study, we use discursively informed thematic analysis to examine a set of eleven in-depth interviews to explore the everyday experiences of feminists within academic spaces in and around the discipline of Psychology in the United Kingdom (UK). Three research questions addressing: the boundary between activism and academia; the provision of support; and differing approaches to knowledge production; were investigated. Our findings highlight the role of POWES as a feminist community as well as the conceptual importance of notions of home, work, and fun. Moreover, the paper examines the ways traditional conceptions of scientific rigor continue to haunt feminist spaces, as does the invisibility of emotional labour. Overall, our findings indicate that the place of feminist academic communities remains vital to sustain critical thought and action: having an intellectual ‘home’ is pivotal to the survival of feminist psychology as well as feminists in psychology

Celebrating 30 years of <i>Feminism & Psychology</i>

Feminism & Psychology (F&P) was launched in 1991 with a sense of possibility, enthusiasm and excitement as well as a sense of urgent need – to critique and reconstruct mainstream psychology (theory, research methods, and clinical practice). Thirty years have now passed since the first issue was produced. Thirty volumes with three or four issues have been published each year, thanks to the efforts of many. On the occasion of F&P’s 30th anniversary, we, the present and past editors, reflect on successes, changes and challenges in relation to the journal. We celebrate the prestigious awards accruing to the journal, its editors, and authors, and the significant contributions the journal has made to critical feminist scholarship at the interface of feminisms and psychologies. We note some of the theoretical and methodological developments and social changes witnessed over the last three decades. We highlight challenges facing feminist researchers in academia as well as international feminist publishing. We conclude that the initial enthusiasm and excitement expressed by the then editorial collective was justified. But, there is still much work to be done

Aproximação teórico-metodológica aos processos de codificação de Carreiras Profissionais

Professional careers constitute a phenomenon recurrently studied in social sciences. The aim of this article is to present a review of the available literature about the subject in order to identify how careers, trajectories and professional transitions are studied, what methodological analysis are used and to which topics they are recurrently associated to finally know in what conceptual and methodological models generate or on which those are supported. To this end, a search has been made in different indexed databases giving rise to a selection of 66 articles that deal with the phenomenon in question. The descriptive results by means of frequency tables highlight the growing proliferation of studies, especially qualitative, that address the phenomenon and point to the main conclusion of generating new conceptual models and categorization of careers that adapt to the environment and contemporary demands.Las carreras profesionales constituyen un fenómeno de estudio recurrente dentro de las ciencias sociales. El objetivo de este artículo es presentar una revisión de la literatura existente sobre el tema en aras de identificar cómo se estudian las carreras, trayectorias y transiciones profesionales, qué aproximaciones metodológicas se utilizan y a qué temáticas se asocian en aras de conocer a qué modelos conceptuales y metodológicos dan pie o, en su defecto, en qué modelos se sustentan.Para ello, se ha realizado una búsqueda en diferentes bases de datos indexadas dando lugar a una selección de 66 artículos que abordaran el fenómeno en cuestión. Los resultados descriptivos mediante tablas de frecuencia destacan la creciente proliferación de estudios, especialmente cualitativos, que abordan el fenómeno y apuntan a la principal conclusión de generar nuevos modelos conceptuales y de categorización de las carreras profesionales que se adapten al entorno y a las demandas contemporáneas.As carreiras profissionais constituem um tema de estudo recorrente dentro das ciências sociais. O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar uma revisão da literatura existente sobre o tema com o objetivo de identificar como se estudam as carreiras, trajetórias e transições profissionais, que aproximações metodológicas se utilizam e a que temáticas se associam a fim de conhecer os modelos conceptuais e metodológicos em que se sustentam. Para este fim, foi feita uma pesquisa em diferentes bancos de dados indexados, dando origem a uma seleção de 66 artigos que tratam do fenômeno em questão. Os resultados descritivos usando tabelas de frequência apontam para a conclusão principal, ou seja, a crescente proliferação de estudos, especialmente qualitativos, que abordam o fenômeno e apontam à necessidade de gerar novos modelos conceptuais e de categorização das carreiras profissionais que se adaptem ao meio e às demandas contemporâneas.

Q methodology and a Delphi poll: a useful approach to researching a narrative approach to therapy

Q methodology and a Delphi poll combined qualitative and quantitative methods to explore definitions of White and Epston's (1990) narrative approach to therapy among a group of UK practitioners. A Delphi poll was used to generate statements about narrative therapy. The piloting of statements by the Delphi panel identified agreement about theoretical ideas underpinning narrative therapy and certain key practices. A wider group of practitioners ranked the statements in a Q sort and made qualitative comments about their sorting. Quantitative methods (principal components analysis) were used to extract eight accounts of narrative therapy, five of which are qualitatively analysed in this paper. Agreement and differences were identified across a range of issues, including the social construction of narratives, privileging a political stance or narrative techniques and the relationship with other therapies, specifically systemic psychotherapy. Q methodology, combined with the Delphi poll, was a unique and innovative feature of this study