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Three Approaches to the Disjunction Between Psychological Measurement and Psychological Persons: Methodological and Ethical Considerations

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Abstract

In this paper, we take forward Schwarz’s (2009) disjunction between measurement-apparatus-questionnaire and measurement-apparatus-man to examine how the crisis in contemporary psychology is related to assumptions about two sets of connections in research: connections between research tools, research behaviours, and psychological phenomena; and connections between researchers and researchees. By setting up a research problem with methodological and ethical implications, we describe three approaches that involve different assumptions and research activities in relation to the ways each makes these connections: Disassociated, Conventionally Connected and Persons in Dialogue Approaches. We argue that a Persons in Dialogue Approach is the most appropriate approach for a 21st Century psychology in crisis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Jeanette A. Lawrence & Agnes E. Dodds

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  1. Jeanette A. Lawrence
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  2. Agnes E. Dodds
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Correspondence to Jeanette A. Lawrence.

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Lawrence, J.A., Dodds, A.E. Three Approaches to the Disjunction Between Psychological Measurement and Psychological Persons: Methodological and Ethical Considerations. Integr. psych. behav. 44, 299–309 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12124-010-9129-4

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