Applying discursive approaches to health psychology

Objective: The aim of this paper is to outline the contribution of two strands of discursive research, glossed as ‘macro’ and ‘micro’, to the field of health psychology. A further goal is to highlight some contemporary debates in methodology associated with the use of interview data versus more naturalistic data in qualitative health research. Method: Discursive psychology is a way of analysing talk as a social practice which considers how descriptions are put together and what actions they achieve. Results: A selection of recent examples of discursive research from one applied area of health psychology, studies of diet and obesity, are drawn upon in order to illustrate the specifics of both strands. Whilst both approaches focus on accountability, ‘macro’ discourse work is most useful for identifying the cultural context of talk and can demonstrate how individuals are positioned within such discourses, and examine how such discourses are negotiated and resisted. ‘Micro’ discursive research pays closer attention to the sequential organisation of constructions and focuses on naturalistic settings which allow for the inclusion of an analysis of the health professional. Conclusion: Diets are typically depicted as an individual responsibility in mainstream health psychology but discursive research highlights how discourses are collectively produced and bound up with social practices

Body dissatisfaction, appearance investment and wellbeing: how older obese men orient to 'aesthetic health' [forthcoming]

Most research on male body image to date has focused on young men using quantitative methods. The study reported here is based on qualitative interviews with a sample of older men (n = 30) on a weight management programme, and we asked them about body-related feelings. The interviews were all transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Our results indicate that although body weight was typically minimised, body image was a key concern, with many examples of body consciousness and body dissatisfaction evident. On the other hand, post-programme weight loss was associated with a transformative shift in body image, with the men emphasising enhanced body confidence, self-esteem and psychological wellbeing. We conclude by highlighting the need to recognise and address appearance issues and/as health concerns for middle-aged and older men

From monoclonal antibody to gene for a neuron-specific glycoprotein in Drosophila

A monoclonal antibody (MAb24B10), derived from mice immunized with Drosophila retina, exclusively stains photoreceptor cells in the retina and their axonal projections to the optic ganglia. The antigen (Ag24B10) is a 160-kDa glycoprotein comprising about 0.8% of the retina protein. By microsequencing, 19 of the first 21 amino acids at the NH2-terminal end of the protein have been determined. Using synthetic oligonucleotide probes corresponding to a portion of this amino acid sequence, we isolated a homologous genomic clone. A partial DNA sequence of this clone, along with blot experiments on genomic DNA and RNA, indicate that this clone is part of the structural gene for Ag24B10. By in situ hybridization, the gene was localized to the tip of chromosome 3R