Theoretical sensitivity

1
Theoretical sensitivity

• Strauss, Anselm and Corbin, Juliet, 1990. Basics
  of Qualitative Research Grounded Theory
  Procedures and Techniques. Newbury Park, CA and
  London Sage Publications.
• Theoretical Sensitivity, 41-47.
• Techniques for Enhancing Theoretical Sensitivity,
  75-95.
• Theoretical Sampling, 176-193 (includes
  Definition of Terms).

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Theoretical sensitivity

• Definition (41-41)
• Theoretical sensitivity refers to a personal
  quality of the researcher It indicates an
  awareness of the subtleties of meaning of data.
  One can come to the research situation with
  varying degrees of sensitivity depending upon
  previous reading and experience with or relevant
  to an area. It can also be development further
  during the research process. Theoretical
  sensitivity refers to the attribute of having
  insight, the ability to give meaning to data the
  capacity to understand, and capability to
  separate the pertinent from that which isnt. All
  this is done in conceptual rather than concrete
  terms. It is theoretical sensitivity that allows
  one to develop a theory that is grounded,
  conceptually dense, and well integrated and it
  do this more quickly than if this sensitivity
  were lacking.

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Theoretical sensitivity

• Sources of Theoretical Sensitivity
• Research literature
• Professional experience if one is fortunate to
  have had this experience
• Personal experience
• Aim to discover and think about differences,
  variations

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Theoretical sensitivity

• Literature
• To sensitize you to what is going on with the
  phenomenon you are studying

5
Theoretical sensitivity

• Professional experience if one is fortunate to
  have such experience
• Advantage -- e.g. a nurse has rich knowledge base
  and insight available to draw upon
• Disadvantage can also block you from seeing
  things that have become routine or obvious

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Theoretical sensitivity

• Personal experience
• Advantage for understanding
• But we need to careful not to assume that
  anothers experience is similar to ours
• Aim always to think about and discover
  differences, variations

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Theoretical sensitivity

• Analytic process
• As you interact with the data, think of being in
  a dialogue with the data, in a conversation with
  your data
• Constant comparative method
• Local theories think about developing local
  theories
• To develop your local theory your
  interpretation, your understanding, you will want
  to look at the data again
• To look for interactions between data, between
  different sources of information, between
  different times
• Theoretical sensivity means continually
  increasing sensitivity to concepts, their
  meanings and relationships
• To give insight and also to see the boundaries of
  your understanding as it evolves (theoretical
  understanding)

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Theoretical sensitivity

• Periodically step back and ask
• what is going on here?
• Does what I think, fit the reality of the data?
• Maintain an attitude of reflection or skepticism
• In other words be your own critic
• Consider alternative interpretations
• Consider whether an interpretation opposite to
  yours can be made from the same data (one way to
  take up the falsifiability principle, in
  interpretative and qualitative research)