Projective techniques

Projective techniques

1. Laddering

   • Line of questioning proceeds from product characteristics and use characteristics
   • Allows the researcher to 'tap' into the consumers network of meaning
   • Ask "why?"
     • Can be hard to get adequate answers from "why?"
   • Typical procedure = use open ended questions
   • Interviewer may follow questions up with requests for further information

2. Food for thought..

   • How do we uncover information in an effective, realiable way?
   • How do we uncover information from respondents that are reluctant or unable to expose these feelings
   • Why type of questioning technique should be used to produce these outcomes
   • Conscious vs. unconscious mind

3. What are projective techniques

   • Faciliate with repressed or withheld thoughts
   • Allow research participant to project their own thoughts onto someone other than themselves
   • Borrowed from clinical psychology
   • Problem however is that the information can sometimes be hidden from the person themselves
   • Psychological defence mechanisms
   • Provide neutral, non-threatening stimuli

4. A definition of a projective technique

   • Unstructured. indirect form of questioning
   • Help to encourage respondents to project their underlying motivation, beliefs, attitudes or feelings
   • Respondents are asked to interpret the behavior of another person or situation
   • In projective techniques, respondents may indirectly project their thoughts and feelings into imagery scenarios

5. What are the benefits of projective techniques

   • Penetrating awareness barriers
   • Bypass respondents rational control
   • Penetrate barrier of inadmissibility
   • Add variety to focus groups
   • Break down politeness barriers

6. What are the types of projective techniques?

   • Association
     • Respondents are presented with a list and are asked to say the first word that comes to mind from each word
       • Responses are then analysed; frequency, amount of time and no responses are then evaluated
   • Completion
     • Can include sentence and story completion
     • Respondents may be given a sentence and asked to complete them with the first word that comes to mind
     • Story completion involves concluding a story
   • Expressive
     • Psychodrawing = Asked to draw an event / feeling towards a product most likely to be used in, in-depth interview
     • Collage building = Cut and paste words onto a picture board of their consumption practise
     • Roleplaying = Asked to assume the behavior of someone else, mostly used in, in depth interviews
   • Construction
     • Third person questioning and bubble drawing
       • Asked to present their opinions of other peoples actions, feelings or attitudes
         • Can help to indicate feelings, beliefs and attitudes
         • Easier to administrate / amalyse

7. Projective questioning

   • Emphasis of interview can be taken of the individual
   • Can be projected onto anonymous others

8. Limitations of projective techniques

   • Interpretating the data can require a lot of skill
   • Can be costly to employ staff who can interpet responses
   • Difficult for some respondents to fully emerse themselves
   • Small samples
   • Is it ETHICAL to ask respondents to enage in behaviour that they may otherwise not

9. How to successfully conducted projective techniques

   • 1) Warm up
   • 2) Listen to what and HOW things are being said
   • 3) Compare what is said to past interviews
   • 4) Compare what is said to what the question is
   • 5) Keep an eye on the time > assess whether straying is okay
   • 6) Offer information to prompt reflection

10. Visual methods

    • Can include graphic, film, video etc.
    • 3 main approaches to visual methods
    • Visual data sources
    • Visual research methods
    • Visual data products

11. Visual methods: videography

    • Form of visual anthropology
    • Encompasses the collection, analysis and presentation of visual data