Mighty Digests # 17: GOODMAN, The generalizability of discursive research

Goodman, S. (2008). The generalizability of discursive research. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 5, 265-275.

The article deals with generalization and generalizability issues in Discourse Analysis.

Validity

“Validity refers to the research showing what it is claiming to show.” (p. 265)

a)    “construct validity” = “is used to show that “the effect demonstrated can be generalized from the measures used in the study (e.g., I.Q. test) to the fuller construct (e.g., intelligence)” (Coolican, 2004: 86)”

b)    “external validity” = relates to being able to generalize the research findings to the population in general.

                                 i.     “ecological validity” = “refers to the extent to which the research findings can be generalized to other settings”

                                 ii.     “population validity” = “refers to the extent to which the research findings can be generalized from the sample studied to the wider population (whether or not there is a representative sample)”

Reliability

“Reliability is defined as “the extent to which a given finding will be consistently reproduced.” (Haslam and McGarty, 2003: 25), where it is deemed that similar results will be consistently found from the same research study”. (p. 266)

“By contrast, qualitative researchers tend to accept that their findings cannot be generalized  in this way; instead generalizability is sacrificed in favor of a more detailed understanding of the issue being researched. (p. 266)

Generalizability in Discursive Psychology = e.g., interpretative repertoires, Discursive Action Model (focus on action, not cognition)

“Discursive findings can be seen as highlighting generalizable actions performed by a rhetorical strategy.” (p. 268)

“The analyst must show a strategy working in a range of different contexts if it is to be shown to be generalizable.” (p. 273)