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    Prosser 2011

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    Prosser 2011

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    Prosser+2011

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    Prosser 2011

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    of 17
    VISUAL METHODOLOGY Jon Prosser striking phenomenon of visual research @ decade ago was its apparent invisibility. The malaise for things visual was replaced by positive engagement following a general avakening to the significance and ubiquity of imagery __incontemporary lives Visuals are pervasive in public, work, and private space, and we have no choice but to look. Qualitative researchers are taking up the challenge to understand a society increasingly dominated by visual rather than verbal and textual culture Visual research focuses on what can be seen, How humans “See” is part nature part nurture being governed by perception that, like other sensory modes. is mediated by physiology, cul- ture, and history. Visual researchers use the term visible onto- logically in refering to imagery and naturally occurring phe- nomena that can be seen, emphasizing the physiological dimen- sion and disregarding their meaning, or significance. Visual however is not about an image or object in of itself but more concerned with the perception and the meanings attributed to them. The terms to visualize and visualization refer to reseatch- ers’ sense-making attributes that are epistemologically ‘grounded and include concept formation, analytical processes, and modes of representation (Grady 1996; Wegner, 2006). Current issues ate best understood by reflecting on recent debates that shape contemporary visual research. Since the 1960s; there has been broad agreement that the type of media, mode of production, and context in which visual data are set are important in determining the meaning ascribed to imagery. In short, how researchers and others constract imagery and the kinds of technology used to produce them, are considered intrinsic to the interpretations of the phenomena they are intended to represent, Between 1970 and 2000, a dual paradig- matic disparity existed (what Harper in 1998, termed the two- headed beast) between researchers using images generated for Toward a More Seeing Research ‘empirical purposes and those who studied meanings of images produced by visual culture. The terms empirical and symbolic were used to denote the relative differences in perspectives dar- ing this period. Empirically orientated researchers stressed the importance of theory building and image creation and addressed the relationship between visual data, trustworthi- ness, and context, whereas symbolically inclined researchers focused on critical analysis of everyday popular visual culture. Veence, during this period an intellectual tension existed ‘between those who read symbolic imagery and social scientists swho created images for research purposes. By 2000, vistal methods achieved normative status in sociology, anthropology, ‘geography, heath studies, history, the arts, and even tradition- ally quantitative disciplines such as psychology and medicine, Increasingly, we live in visual world and currently, no topic, field of study, or discipline is immune to the influences of researchers adopting a visual perspective. The most important ‘competency in societies around the world in the 21st century is visual fivency, and qualitative researchers ae developing visual _methodologies to study that phenomenon, This chapter outlines key facets of contemporary visual research. Emphasis is placed on fieldwork undertaken in the qualitative tradition exemplifying insightfal approaches, areas ‘of concern, and future possibilities. will begin by outlining cur- rent trends and conclude with a discussion of future challenges. HL Current TRenps In this section, under four subheadings, I consider an eclectic _mixof methods and studies to ilustrate how the science and art of conducting visual research is currently evolving: Representa- tion of visual research along,standing and contentious issue of 499 480 a PARTIV METHODS OF COLLECTING AND ANALYZING EMPIRICAL MATERIALS considerable importance to visual researchers yet_mostly ignored by nonvisual qualitative researc; technology and visual ‘methods are in the ascendancy because they provide powerful strategies for answering complex. global research questions involving analysis of metadata; participatory visual methods are well established and included because they represent the most popular genre in visual methodology; and training in visual ‘methods because itis not a luxury but an imperative following the burgeoning groveth in visual research around the world, Representation of Visual Research Tim Berners-Lee created the World Wide Web in the early 1990s, and his graphical point-and-click browser, WorldWide- Web, was the precursor to providing access to multiple audi- ences worldwide. The subsequent standard graphics packages (Excel and Adobe) for creating tables, bar charts, graphs, and pie charts ate adequate for most quantitative data but limit qualitative researchers capacity to represent data effectively by their “one size fits all” approach and limited representational range. Scientists and social scientists are finding this new world of representation challenging, and Lac Pauwels (2006, p. x) points out why: While there seems to be an implicit but persistent belief hat the rapid spread of visual technologies in almost every sector of saci ety automatically will result in an inereased visual literacy ot competency, there is at last as much reason to believe that the already vulnerable tink between the referent, its visual representa ‘ion, and the functions it needs to serve will come under even greater pressure, Currently there is a slow shift towatd data visualization for summation of date, displaying information, and providing an opportunity for analysis. In their basic form, interactive graph- ics provide additional data as the cursor is moved around the screen. The New York Times has excellent examples including findings ftom the 2008 American Time Use Survey, which asked thousands of Americans to recall how they spent every ‘minute of their day (do an Internet search for “How different groups spend their day interactive graphic”). Statistics, espe- cially in the form of large numbers, ate difficult to relate to a human scale. project called Rurming the Numbers! (developed by Chris Jordan) adopts creative approach to making large numbers accessible and meaningful. The images, usually sets ‘of photographs, portray specific quantities: 15 million sheets of office paper (5 minutes of paper use in the United States), 106,000 alurninum cans (30 seconds of can consumption in the United States), or the 32,000 breast augmentation surgeries that take place in the United States every month. But these are early days, and critical reflection is needed to determine what are advances in social science and visual representation and ‘what are eye candy. Representation of visual research isin a depressingly stag nant state because mainstream dissemination in academiy ‘remains hard copy text-based and conservative. The passion fg the printed page, the “thingness” of books as a sensual exper. ence, continues to dominate, and only slowly the screen ig ‘emerging as « site for presenting findings of visual research Qualitative visual researchers currently struggle to present theit work outside of the traditional word/print format despite the potential that digital detivery systems have to change the way Visual research is represented (Banks, 2007, Pink, 2008; Ruby. 2005). Some multimedia presentations on the Web look litle

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