The Contributions of Dialogal Psychology to Phenomenological Research

Abstract

The authors describe the emergence, application, and advantages of a dialogal approach to phenomenological research and show how it is rooted in a particular community of psychological theory and practice. This approach assumes that dialogue itself, interpersonal conversation, is critical not only in teaching and in therapy but also in research. Further, this approach overcomes the dichotomy between the personal and professional without sacrificing "objectivity," finds commonalities between psychotherapy and research, and draws on the insights of the humanities. Most striking, it relies on cooperative group dialogue rather than specific procedures in moving toward understanding and interpretation of "data." Examples are drawn from dialogal research on forgiveness, humility, and social activism.