Contribution Of An Ethnographic Research On Friendship

Throughout this essay I will be evaluating the contribution of an ethnographic approach to research on friendship. I will be looking at, and including evidence to support both sides of the argument as to whether or not this research method is in fact useful when it comes to gaining knowledge about friendship. As well as evaluating this method, I will compare it against others to reflect on the strengths, weaknesses and the typical data collected. I will look at some of the questions about friendship that have been addressed, and then whether this is the best method or if there are others that could have been more suitable. Ethnography is a qualitative method of research in which the researcher takes part in the activities of a group such that they are able to complete their observations over a period of time in a natural, real-life environment. When it comes to investigating friendship, one question that has been raised is ‘what is the role of friendship in the life of a 13 year old?’’. Several sources of data include ethnographic notes taken whilst spending time with a group of friends during school lunch breaks and diary/blog entries etc. Firstly, in this case the researcher would need to carefully consider the strengths and weaknesses of each type of data, for example, when looking at a blog the information/data available is likely to be information that the author wants to share with a wider audience whereas a diary entry is more private. In this case, both documentsShow MoreRelatedFriendships1385 Words   |  6 PagesBigelow and La Gaipa (1975) observed children’s friendships by asking a number of children to write an essay about their best friend using the approach called â€Å"content analysis†. William Corsaro however dictates that in order to study children you must study them in the context of their own peer culture, he used the â€Å"ethnographic approach†. In this essay I shall attempt to compare and contrast the approach used by Bigelow and La Gaipa (1975) and that taken by William Corsaro (2006). In the earlyRead MoreDse141 Tma02 Essays1330 Words   |  6 Pagesboth made important contributions into understanding how children interpret â€Å"friendship†. Bigelow and La Gaipa carried out one of the first studies from what was a very under researched area. Bill Corsaro, a key figure in childhood studies, was particularly successful in gaining access into young childrens worlds which has helped shape a further picture of this somewhat intriguing definition. Brace and Byford (2012) One similarity is that they both aimed to study friendships in children and toRead MoreCompare and Contrast the Approach to Studying Children’s Friendships Taken in the Bigelow and La Gaipa (1974) Study with That Taken by William Corsaro.1406 Words   |  6 Pageschildren’s friendships taken in the Bigelow and La Gaipa (1974) study with that taken by William Corsaro. Friendship means different things to different people in different cultures. Friendship is also different from other kinds of relationship such as love, family and professional. The influential power on people’s behaviour, style, ideas and life is dominant and remarkable and therefore worthwhile for scientific investigation. This essay will compare and contrast the academic research of threeRead MoreCompare and Contrast the Approach to Studying Childrens Friendships Taken in the Bigelow and La Gaipa (1974) Study with That Taken by William Corsaro.1392 Words   |  6 PagesTITLE Compare and contrast the approach to studying children’s friendships taken in the Bigelow and La Gaipa (1974) study with that taken by William Corsaro. Friendship means different things to different people in different cultures. Friendship is also different from other kinds of relationship such as love, family and professional. The influential power on people’s behaviour, style, ideas and life is dominant and remarkable and therefore worthwhile for scientific investigationRead MoreRelational Models Theory : Relational Model Theory Essay2164 Words   |  9 Pagessociety and social relations and integrates culture, political and social structures, religion, ideologies and norms, psychological disorders, communications, emotion, cognition, child development, neurobiology, and natural selection. Comparative and ethnographic cultural studies support the theory of RMT as well as experiments by psychologists that use several methods. The study of RMT has given an in-depth understanding to moral judgment, group and family, business management, sociolinguistics, cross-Read MoreRelational Model s Theory Of Social Life Essay2161 Word s   |  9 Pagessociety and social relations and integrates culture, political and social structures, religion, ideologies and norms, psychological disorders, communications, emotion, cognition, child development, neurobiology, and natural selection. Comparative and ethnographic cultural studies support the theory of RMT as well as experiments by psychologists that use several methods. The study of RMT has given an in-depth understanding to moral judgment, group and family, business management, sociolinguistics, cross-Read MoreThe Culture Of British Life2486 Words   |  10 Pagesfor the position of an ethnographer. An ethnographer is in many ways an expansion of an Anthropologist, though from a more theoretical interpretation of studies. The role of an ethnographer has been explained as, â€Å"one who uses both a qualitative research process or method and product, whose aim is cultural interpretation†(Brian A. Hoey). In understanding the mission of an ethnographer I have been able to focus on the three mainstages of human life in order to get an accurate depiction of the idealRead MoreCaptain James Cook5629 Words   |  23 Pagesworldwide have been dedicated to him. Contents [hide] 1 Early life and family 2 Start of Royal Navy career 3 Voyages of exploration 3.1 First voyage (1768–71) 3.2 Interlude 3.3 Second voyage (1772–75) 3.4 Third voyage (1776–79) 3.5 Death 4 Legacy 4.1 Ethnographic Collections 4.2 Navigation and science 4.3 Memorials 5 See also 6 References 6.1 Footnotes 6.2 Notes 6.3 Bibliography 7 Further reading 8 External links 8.1 Biographical dictionaries 8.2 Journals 8.3 Collections and museums [edit]Early life andRead MoreLeadership, Conflict, And Problem Solving7381 Words   |  30 Pagesdeveloping competence, assigning critical tasks, and offering visible support, set the example by behaving in ways that are consistent with shared values, achieve small wins that promote consistent progress and build commitment, recognize individual contributions to the success of every project, celebrate team accomplishments regularly† (Schafer, 2005, p.232). Most importantly out of those ten commitments of a leader are challenging those around them, uplifting and giving a vision, and fostering collaborationRead MoreThe Importance of Demography to Development11868 Words   |  48 Pagesnature. Since the late 1970s, many sociologists have tried to make the discipline useful for non-academic purposes. The results of sociological research aid educators, lawmakers, administrators, developers, and others interested in resolving social problems and formulating public policy, through subdisciplinary areas such as survey research, evaluation research, methodological assessment, and public sociology. Sociological methods, theories, and concepts compel the sociologist to explore the origins