Advancing Phenomenological Research

Abstract

In this article, we review the latest trends of data collection methods in phenomenological nursing studies. Subsequently, by using a philosophical analysis, mainly inspired by Merleau-Ponty’s embodied phenomenology and a case construction of an individual with hemi-spatial neglect—a common disorder following stroke—we explore the concepts “body schema,” “body image,” and “affordances.” Applying these concepts helps to illuminate the temporal, spatial, and perceptual world of people encountering discrepancy between perception and reality because of disease—a discrepancy seen in hemi-spatial neglect. Concepts to capture the multifaceted challenges that occur under these circumstances are lacking. Systematically incorporating the aforementioned concepts might help to advance phenomenological research and articulate these difficulties. We propose suggestions on data generation to reveal situated, meaning-infused, embodied experiences in patients with hemi-spatial neglect. The need to step beyond the privileged emphasis on interviews, toward experimenting with other approaches of data collection, is underscored.