Thematic analysis

Thematic analysis

Exam focus A researcher used content analysis to investigate how the behaviour of young children changed when they started day care. He identified a group of nine-monthold children who were about to start day care. He asked the mother of each child to keep a diary recording her child’s behaviour every day for two weeks before and for two weeks after the child started day care. Explain how the researcher could have used content analysis to analyse what the mothers had written in their diaries.

Exam answer Content analysis is a way of analysing data such as text using codes and then developing these into themes. You would first create a list of categories (created from reading the diaries first or derived from conducting a thematic analysis). Examples of behaviours used for themes might be aggression or crying. Then you would read through the diaries and tally every time a specific behaviour occurs. Read through the data more than once to check that you have included all the behaviour. Finally, you would compare the behaviours before and after day care

Exam focus Explain one way in which the researchers may have checked whether the categories were reliable(3 marks)

Explain how observer bias might affect the findings of a content analysis (3 marks) The consistency between the recordings of two researchers would be assessed by asking each researcher to categorise the essays independently. The data would then be compared and if similar then the analysis is reliable. The correlation coefficient between the researchers’ data should exceed 0.8.

Thematic analysis This is a qualitative analytical method for organising, describing and interpreting data. It is a very lengthy process as is painstaking and each item is gone through repeatedly and with careful consideration.

THEMATIC ANALYSIS Thematic analysis is a way of SUMMARISING qualitative data. Unlike content analysis the information is not converted into quantitative data-it remains qualitative. The researcher looks for themes that reoccur in narratives and summarises the main themes using QUOTATIONS from the evidence as support.

How do I do a thematic analysis? 1. The analysis of qualitative data often starts with collecting the data, and transcribing it (writing it out). 2. The researcher familiarises themselves with it – reading it several times. 3. Code the data, and put into categories. 4. The researcher looks for recurring themes and patterns which run through and link the data. 5. He provides examples to illustrate the themes. Writes a report.

Coding Identifying categories, themes, phrases or keywords that are found in the data For example the researcher identifies a number of themes and then will go through the interview annotating each sentence

Example-experience of school I’m always getting pushed and shoved by the other boys at school. They call me “the weed” and “Buttface”. Once they threatened to set me on fire. I can’t go anywhere without worrying about what will happen if they are there. Code-physical aggression Code putting down Code-Intimidation Category-Bullying (fighting, intimidating and putting people down). Overall Theme -Oppression

They make me feel completely powerless. Code-powerless I don’t feel able to stand up to them. Code-powerless Code-self esteem Code-anxiety They make me feel pathetic. I worry about what they Category-Psychological will do to me. torment (powerless, low I hate myself. self esteem & anxiety) Overall Theme-oppression

Conduct your dream analysis The analysis of qualitative data often starts with collecting the data, and transcribing it (writing it out). The researcher familiarises themselves with it –reading it several times. Code the data, and put into categories. The researcher looks for recurring themes and patterns which run through and link the data. He provides examples to illustrate the themes. Writes a report. Write up your results on the hand out provided

Exam focus A psychologist is investigating causes of addiction to gambling. She interviews people attending debt counselling for problem gamblers. She asks them to describe their family and early childhood, recording everything that they say. She also looks at information in the gamblers’ debt counsellor reports. (a) Referring to this investigation, explain the difference between primary and secondary data. (4) (b) Explain how the psychologist could continue her investigation by carrying out thematic analysis of the interview recordings. (2) (Total 6 marks)

Exam focus primary data is gathered directly/first-hand from the participants, and is specific to the aim of the study whereas secondary data has previously been collected by a third party (another researcher or an official body), not specifically for the aim of the study, and then used by the researcher. In this study, the interview recordings are primary data – gathered specifically for the purpose of investigating causes of addiction to gambling behaviour whereas the debt counsellor reports are secondary data – pre-existing and not gathered for the purpose of investigating causes of addiction to gambling. Firstly, use the recordings to make a transcription of the interview. Then use coding to initially analyse the transcripts. Then review the transcriptions/codes looking for emergent themes/ideas that might be linked to later gambling addiction, eg family poverty, sensation-seeking, influence of peer group.

Evaluation: Thematic analysis Strengths Limitations