Researching Communication: The Interpretive Approach between Theory and Practice

A proper understanding of communication research and the way it has been carried out cannot emerge without some consideration of the theoretical backgrounds of the different methodological approaches to communication analysis. In the last few years the most important progress has been made in the field of so called reflexive methodology. According to Alvesson and Sköldberg, the syntagm reflexive methodology (2000) denotes complex relationships between the knowledge-development processes and variable contexts in which knowledge develops, including all actors. The aim of the paper in that sense is to present some influences of the poststructuralist theory that are relevant to qualitative methodological strategies in communication studies. The paper begins with presenting the key theses of structuralist and poststructuralist approaches. This is followed by the section devoted to the central figure of Derrida and deconstruction. Then an illustration is given of some of the implications of poststructuralism for empirical research of communication. In that part also some specific proposals are offered on possible ways of coping with the complexity of the research process. The paper closes with a discussion opening some space for more critical evaluation

Epidemija COVID-19 v Sloveniji, odnos do neenakosti in protestni potencial

V članku so predstavljene ugotovitve raziskav Slovensko javno mnenje, ki so bile izvedene tik pred začetkom epidemije ter v prvem in drugem valu epidemije. V članku nas zanima vpliv percepcije in vrednotenja družbenih neenakosti na protestno participacijo državljanov. Bolj konkretno: zanima nas, kako se te zaznave povezujejo z dejanskim položajem posameznikov in kako součinkovanje obojega prispeva k nezadovoljstvu, ki se kaže kot pripravljenost na proteste. Izhajamo iz teorije relativne deprivacije, ki se kaže kot relevantna za pojasnjevanje pojavljanja protestov v kriznih časih. Rezultati raziskave potrjujejo relevantnost teorije še posebej v času krize oziroma nenapovedanega in nenadnega izbruha zamere, ko običajni pojasnjevalni modeli političnega delovanja ne zadoščajo. Izkaže se, da bistven sprožilec kolektivnega ravnanja pri tem ni absolutna stiska, ampak je lahko protestno ravnanje posledica relativne stopnje deprivacije v posamezni družbeni skupini. Pomembna je diskrepanca med specifičnimi in za posamezno socialno skupino legitimnimi pričakovanji (glede norm, življenjskega standarda in družbenega položaja) ter ocenami o tem, ali se bodo ta pričakovanja uresničila

Izrekanje, razumevanje in interpretacija

V članku avtor kritično obravnava posebnosti anketne komunikacije. Ugotavlja, da ima anketni intervju hkrati značilnosti komunikacije vsakdanjega življenja in metodološko rigorozne, standardizirane konverzacije z namenom. Avtor ugotavlja, da dvojnost anketne komunikacije pomembno vpliva na veljavnost anketne meritve. Za oblikovanje odgovora z respondentove perspektive namreč ne zadošča semantično razumevanje raziskovalčevih zahtev, marveč mora oblikovati presežek pomena informacij in intenc raziskovalcev. V tem smislu se moramo posloviti od prepričanja o nevtralnosti instrumenta, s katerim objektivno beležimo reakcije respondentov. To velja še toliko bolj, če je abstraktnost problematike visoka in na ta način vstopa v ospredje respondentova psihična in simbolna strukturiranost.The article critically discusses the special role of survey communication. It emphasizes the doubleness of survey communication. Namely, survey communication contains the elements of everyday conversation and the limitations of standardized interview at the same time. From the author\u27s point the fact of doubleness has certain implications for the survey validity.For the respondent namely semantic comprehension of the researcher\u27s directions is insufficient. The respondent has to shape excess meaning of information available to him. Accordingly we have to abandon the belief that instrument is a neutral stimulus which provokes a reaction that has only to berecorded objectively. This holds all the more so when the topic is highly abstract and thus penetrates to the forefront of the respondent\u27s psychic and symbolic structulatization

Družbena želenost in težnja k soglašanju v družboslovnem raziskovanju

Social survey researchers have realized for number of years that various response sets might have considerable influence on expressed opinions. Accordingly, we have to abandon the belief that the instrument is a neutral stimulus which provokes a reaction that has only to be recorded objectively. This holds all the more so when the topic is highly abstract and thus penetrates to the forefront of the respondent\u27s psychic and symbolic structuralization. A phenomenon which is not exclusive to public opinion research is elucidated by Couch and Keniston (Kouch & Keniston 1964) in a study of \u27the tendency to acquiesence\u27. The analysis of survey responses shows this tendency to be a personality variable, that is, a manifestation of the respondent\u27s style and psychic structure. The authors find a high level of a priori congruity of responses irrespective of the content. On the other hand, social desirability is generaly considered to be a major source of response bias in survey research. Given the frequency with which them is mentioned as a cause, explanations of it are suprisingly rare in the literature. Generally speaking, it refers to a tendency to give favourable picture of onself (DeMaio 1985).Novejši pristopi v metodologiji raziskovanja javnega mnenja polemizirajo z idejo o brezhibno obveščenem respondentu z jasnimi in prepoznavnimi preferencami. Rezultati empiričnih preverjanj kažejo, da respondenti niz modalitet (odgovorov) obravnavajo v polju t.i. omejene racionalnosti. To seveda ne pomeni, da respondenti izbirajo odgovore (modalitete) po naključju, temveč da poskušajo zmanjšati kognitivni napor na način poenostavitve procesov odločanja. Pri tem si moramo postaviti vprašanje,kakšne so konsekvence te ugotovitve za teorijo anketiranja, kakor tudi vprašanje o vzrokih za nastanek značilnih učinkov odgovarjanja na anketna vprašanja. Teorija anketiranja loči dva pomembna niza učinkov odgovarjanja na anketna vprašanja: težnjo k strinjanju in težnjo k izražanju socialno želenih odgovorov. Čeprav metodološka literatura pogosto učinkov družbene želenosti odgovorov in težnje k soglašanju ne ločuje eksplicitno, je ločena obravnava obeh fenomenov, ki ju sicer vključujemo v niz kontekstualnih dejavnikov, smiselna. Odločitev za ločeno obravnavo utemeljujemo z vzroki, ki botrujejo nastanku učinkov težnje k soglašanju in družbene želenosti odgovorov. Če so vzroki za nastanek težnje k soglašanju fenotipske osebnostne značilnosti respondentov, pa vzroke za nastanek učinkov družbene želenosti iščemo tako v osebnostnih lastnostih respondentov kot v značilnostih anketnega intervjuja nasploh

Researching communication

A proper understanding of communication research and the way it has been carried out cannot emerge without some consideration of the theoretical backgrounds of the different methodological approaches to communication analysis. In the last few years the most important progress has been made in the field of so called reflexive methodology. According to Alvesson and Sköldberg, the syntagm reflexive methodology (2000) denotes complex relationships between the knowledge-development processes and variable contexts in which knowledge develops, including all actors. The aim of the paper in that sense is to present some influences of the poststructuralist theory that are relevant to qualitative methodological strategies in communication studies. The paper begins with presenting the key theses of structuralist and poststructuralist approaches. This is followed by the section devoted to the central figure of Derrida and deconstruction. Then an illustration is given of some of the implications of poststructuralism for empirical research of communication. In that part also some specific proposals are offered on possible ways of coping with the complexity of the research process. The paper closes with a discussion opening some space for more critical evaluation.Ne može doći do pravilnog razumijevanja istraživanja komunikacije i načina na koji je ono provedeno bez razmatranja teorijske pozadine različitih metodoloških pristupa analizi komunikacije. Posljednjih nekoliko godina najvažniji je napredak postignut na području takozvane refleksivne metodologije. Prema Alvessonu i Sköldbergu, sintagma refleksivne metodologije (2000) označuje složen odnos između procesa razvijanja znanja i varijabilnih konteksta u kojima se znanje razvija, uključujući sve njihove sudionike. Cilj ovog rada u tom smislu jest predstaviti neke utjecaje poststrukturalne teorijek oji su relevantni kvalitativno metodološkim strategijama u istraživanjima komunikacije. Rad počinje predstavljanjem ključnih teza strukturalističkih i poststrukturalističkih pristupa. Tome slijedi dio posvećen središnjoj figure Derridea i dekonstrukciji. Potom je dana ilustracija nekih implikacija poststrukturalizma za empirijsko istraživanje komunikacije. U tom su dijelu također ponuđeni neki mogući načini nošenja sa složenošću istraživačkog postupka. Rad završava raspravom koja otvara prostor za daljnju kritičku evaluaciju

Researching Communication: The Interpretive Approach between Theory and Practice

A proper understanding of communication research and the way it has been carried out cannot emerge without some consideration of the theoretical backgrounds of the different methodological approaches to communication analysis. In the last few years the most important progress has been made in the field of so called reflexive methodology. According to Alvesson and Sköldberg, the syntagm reflexive methodology (2000) denotes complex relationships between the knowledge-development processes and variable contexts in which knowledge develops, including all actors. The aim of the paper in that sense is to present some influences of the poststructuralist theory that are relevant to qualitative methodological strategies in communication studies. The paper begins with presenting the key theses of structuralist and poststructuralist approaches. This is followed by the section devoted to the central figure of Derrida and deconstruction. Then an illustration is given of some of the implications of poststructuralism for empirical research of communication. In that part also some specific proposals are offered on possible ways of coping with the complexity of the research process. The paper closes with a discussion opening some space for more critical evaluation

Razumevanje vloge subjekta v procesu raziskovanja javnega mnenja

Posebnost javnomnenjskih raziskav je, da anketni intervju razumemo kot specifično vrsto konverzacije oziroma kot socialno aktivnost med ljudmi, ki se ne poznajo, zato ta odnos urejajo splošna pravila. Nasprotno pa participacijo v odnosu določajo specifična metodološka pravila. Respondent s tem, ko privoli v intervju, sprejme posebno obliko socialne interakcije - soglaša, da bo sodeloval v raziskavi, katere dokončne cilje ne pozna, to pa odrespondenta hkrati zahteva upoštevanje raziskovalčevih navodil. Seveda pa rigorozno upoštevanje navodil samo po sebi ne odpravi metodoloških problemov. Z respondentove perspektive namreč ni dovolj semantično razumevanje raziskovalčevih napotkov. Respondent mora oblikovati presežek pomena njemu dostopnih informacij. Predpostavka je, da informacije, ki jih uspe izluščiti iz pogovora z anketarjem, razbrati iz ankete, dešifrirati s pomočjo modalitet,uporabi pri konstrukciji odgovora kot vsako drugo informacijo. V temsmislu se moramo posloviti od prepričanja, ki pojmuje instrument kot nevtralen stimulus, ki izzove reakcije, ki jih v nadaljevanju raziskovalci samo še objektivno beležijo. Slednje velja še toliko bolj, če je abstraktnost problematike visoka in na ta način stopa v ospredje respondentova psihična in simbolna strukturiranost

Poljubnost in standardiziranost anketne konverzacije

Interpretacija rezultatov javnomnenjskih raziskav je mogoča šele, ko poznamo kontekst "pomenjenja" oziroma okolja, ki motivira nastajanje stališčin kamor se vpisujejo izražena stališča. Med pristopi, ki poskušajo pojasniti vpliv konteksta na izražena stališča, se ponovno uveljavljajo hermenevtične razprave o učinkih in vplivih konteksta, ki poudarjajo predvsem potrebo po dekodiranju stališč respondentov, kar naj bi raziskovalcem omogočilo razumevanje izvornega pomena izraženega. Posledica kontekstualnih vplivov je velika variabilnost, ki jo raziskovalci poskušajo zmanjšati s standardizacijo anketnih pogojev, instrumenta in predvsem diskurza. Standardizirani postopki tako zmanjšujejo kompleksnost in difuznost in s tem večajo zanesljivost merjenj, nasprotno pa se zmanjšuje veljavnost, saj visoko standardiziran instrument zajame zgolj vzorce rutiniranega vedenja: standardizaciji so dostopni posamezni izseki in torej vse, kar ni kompatibilno s standardiziranim kodom komuniciranja, instrument prepozna kot šum. Rigoroznost standardizirane anketne situacije sili respondente k oblikovanju presežka dostopnih informacij. Respondenti pri odgovarjanju na anketna vprašanja informacije, ki jih "posredujejo" raziskovalci v obliki referenčnega okvira raziskave in značilnosti instrumenta, uporabijo kot kontekstualne informacije.A distinctive feature of public opinion research is that survey interview is considered to be specific kind of conversation or social activity involving people who are not acquainted which is therefore governed by general conversational rules. However participation in the survey interview is governed by particular methodological rules. In consenting to the interview, the respondent accepts a specific kind of social interaction - agreeing to take part in a research whose ultimat purposes are not known to him and what at the same time requires adherence to the resercher instructions. Strict observance of the instructions does not eliminate the methodological problems. Namely, for the respondent the semantic comprehension of the researcher\u27s directions is insufficient. The respondent is forced to shape the excess meaning of information available to him. It is assumed that respondent uses the information, he manages to extract from the conversation with the interviewer. Accordingly, we have to abandon the belief that the instrument is a neutral stimulus which provokes a reaction that has only to be recorded objectively