Page 410 - Encyclopedia of Nursing Research

PARTICIPANT OBSeRvATION n 377

rhythmical patterns of relating with huma- teaching–learning model is made up of
nuniverse,” and (3) “cotranscending illimit- essences, paradoxes, and processes. The
ably with emerging possibles” (Parse, 1998, essences are semantic coherence, synergistic P
p. 29). each of these assumptions is linked to a patterning, and aesthetic innovating (Parse,
principle about humanbecoming. These three 2004). The paradoxes are rational–intuiting,
principles constitute the theoretical structure. clarifying–obscuring, waring–woofing, ebb-
Principle 1 states, “structuring meaning mul- ing–flowing, considering–composing, and
tidimensionally is cocreating reality through beholding–refining (Parse, 2004). The pro-
the languaging of valuing and imaging” cesses are living with ambiguity, appreciating
(Parse, 1998, p. 35). The major conceptual pro- the mystery, potentiating integrity, weaving
cesses of this principle are imagining, valu- multidimensionally, honoring wisdom, and
ing, and languaging (Parse, 1998). Principle witnessing unfolding (Parse, 2004).
2 is that “co-creating rhythmical patterns of
relating is living the paradoxical unity of Updated by Mary T. Quinn Griffin
revealing-concealing, enabling- limiting, and
connecting- separating” (Parse, 1998, p. 42).
Principle 3 states, “cotranscending with the
possibles is powering unique ways of origi- PartiCiPant observation
nating in the process of transforming” (Parse,
1998, p. 46). The key conceptual processes
for this principle are powering, originat- Participant observation is an approach to
ing, and transforming (Parse, 1998). In 2007, data collection that is most often associated
Parse provided clarification of wording in with naturalistic or qualitative inquiry, and it
the HST. She wished to make clear the notion involves the researcher as a participant in the
of indivisibility by creating homecoming as scene or observation that is being studied.
one word, and humanuniverse as all one word The primary purpose is to gain an insider’s,
(Parse, 2007). She added four postulates, or emic, view of an event, a setting, or a gen-
illimitability, paradox, freedom, and mystery, eral situation. The researcher focuses on the
which are woven into the three principles context of the scene along with the ways that
(Parse, 2007). individuals are behaving. examples might
Parse (2007) has developed a specific include making and participating in obser-
research methodology based on phenomeno- vations in a busy emergency room, observ-
logical hermeneutic methods. It is a qualita- ing the ways in which people carry out rites
tive method that focuses on universal human of passage, or participating in a special feast
experiences described by research partici- or occasion. The researcher attempts to make
pants. There are three phases involved in this sense of the situation by interpreting per-
research, dialogical engagement (researcher- sonal experiences and observations and talk-
participant), extraction synthesis (dwelling ing with individuals who are present, while
with the data), and heuristic interpretation simultaneously being fully involved in all of
(Parse, 2007). The foci of knowledge devel- the experiences that occur in that setting. In
opment for the discipline within this type of this way, participant observation enables the
research are the universal lived experiences researcher to gain a view of a society but also
of individuals, such as hope, joy-sorrow, serves as a way to validate verbal informa-
grieving, and persevering. tion that was provided by members of a soci-
Parse (2004) continues to expand her ety or group being studied. Another way in
theoretical perspectives with the intro- which participant observation may be used
duction of the humanbecoming teaching– in research is with populations in which
learning processes. The human becoming there is limited communication, such as very