Getting the picture: Photo‐assisted conversations as interviews

Helge Folkestad

doi:10.1080/15017410009510757

Research

Getting the picture: Photo‐assisted conversations as interviews

Author:

Helge Folkestad

About Helge

Helge Folkestad (cand.polit) assistent professor at Bergen College, faculty of Health and Social Sciences. He is currently Ph.D student and enrolled in the doctorate programme at the Institute of Sociology, University of Bergen, Norway.

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Abstract

According to the literature, there are problems inherent in interviewing people with intellectual disabilities. This paper reports on a small pilot project in which photographs were used to assist in interviews with such informants, the idea being that this might help to circumvent some of these problems. This author took pictures of some informants in daily life situations in their own homes. Other informants, living in other grouped homes, were asked to take pictures themselves. The photographs were examined collaboratively by the informant and the author in an interview‐as‐conversation situation. The photographs supplied a concrete point of departure for conversations, provided informants with a helpful platform for expressing points of view, supplied contextual clues helpful in understanding informants’ actual language, and enhanced “serendipity” in the interview situations.

How to Cite: Folkestad, H., (2009). Getting the picture: Photo‐assisted conversations as interviews. Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research. 2(2), pp.3–21. DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/15017410009510757

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Published on 08 Jul 2009

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CC BY 4.0

References

Atkinson , D. (1988). . Research interviews with people with mental handicaps. . Mental Handicap Research , 1((1)): : 75.–.
Azmi , S. , Hatton , C. , Emerson , E. and Caine , A. (1997). . Listening to adolescents and adults with intellectual disabilities from south asian communities. . Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities , 10((3)): : 250.–.
Biklen , S. K. and Moseley , C. R. (1988). . “Are you retarded?” “No, I'm catholic”: Qualitative methods in the study of people with severe handicaps. . The Journal of the Association for People with Severe Handicaps , 13((3)): : 155.–.
Bogdan , R. (1980). . “Interviewing people labeled retarded. ”. In Fieldwork experience: qualitative approaches to social research. , Edited by: Stebbins , R. A. , Shaffir , W.B. and Turowetz , A. : 235.–. [city: New York]: : St. Martin's Press. .
Byers , P. (1966). . “Cameras don't take pictures. ”. : 49.–. (Reprinted from Columbia University Forum) at [http://newfirstsearch.oclc.org/ WebZ/FSFETCH:fetchtype=fullrecord:sessi onid=sp03sw11–33184‐c43y8zew‐thvc: entitypagenum=5:0?recno=17:resultset=2:f ormat‐FI:next=html/record.html:bad=error /badfetch.html::entitytoprecno=17:entitycur recno=17:numrecs=l].
Carnaby , S. (1997). . What do you think?’: a qualitative approach to evaluating individual planning services. . Journal of intellectual Disability Research , 41((3)): : 225.–.
Collier , J. jr. and Collier , M. . (1986). . Visual anthropology. Photography as a research method. , [city: Albuquerque]: : University of New Mexico Press. .
Ender , M. G. (1997). . “Who am I?”: Autophotography as a teaching and learning tool. . The Great Plains Sociologist , 10: : 15.–.
Ferguson , P. M. , Ferguson , D. L. and Taylor , S. J. (1992). . “Introduction. Interpretivism and disability studies. ”. In Interpreting disability. A qualitative reader. , Edited by: Ferguson , P. M. , Ferguson , D. L. and Taylor , S. J. : 1.–. [city: New York]: : Teachers College Press. .
Flynn , M. C. (1986). . Adults who are mentally handicapped as consumers: Issues and guidelines for interviewing. . Journal of Mental Deficiency Research , 30: : 369.–.
Flynn , M. C. (1989). . Independent living for adults with mental handicap. , [city: London]: : Cassell. .
Glaser , B. (1998). . Doing grounded theory: Issues and discussions. , [city: Mill Valley]: : Sociology Press. .
Goffman , E. (1974). . Anstalt og menneske. Den tolale institution socialt set. , [city: København]: : Jørgen Paludans Forlag [Asylums \First published by Anchor Books , Doubleday & Co.. . (1961)), 1961.
Goode , D. A. (1992). . “Who is Bobby?: Ideology and method in the discovery of a Down Syndrome person's competance. ”. In Interpreting Disability. A qualitative reader. , Edited by: Ferguson , P. M. , Ferguson , D. L. and Taylor , S. J. : 197.–. [city: New York]: : Teachers College Press. .
Gustavsson , A. (1998). . Inifrån utanförskapet. Om att vara annorlunda och delaktig. , [city: Stockholm]: : Johansson & Skyttmo Förlag. . [ ∼ Inside the Being Outside].
Holst , J. , Kjelstrup , F. , Knudsen , A. , Larsen , T. , Meyer , H. and Pedersen , K. (1995). . Søndag er trœls. 4 metoder til udvikling og evaluering af udviklingshœmmedes leve‐miljøer gennom dialog om hverdagsliv og livskvalitet, (3): LEV's skriftserie om livskvalitet. [ ∼ Sunday's awful. 4 methods for developing and evaluating living environments through dialog about everyday life and quality of life].
Holstein , J. A. and Gubrium , J. F. (1995). . The active interview. , Vol. 37, [city: Thousand Oaks]: : Sage Publications. .
Jahoda , A. , Markova , I. and Cattermole , M. (1988). . Stigma and the self‐concept of people with a mild mental handicap. . Journal of Mental Deficiency Research , 32: : 103.–.
Kvale , S. (1996). . InterViews. An Introduction to Qualitative Research Interviewing. , [city: Thousand Oaks]: : Sage Publications. .
Matikka , L. M. and Vesala , H. T. (1997). . Aquiescence in quality‐of‐life interviews with adults who have mental retardation. . Mental Retardation , 35((2)): : 75.–.
McVilly , K. R. (1995). . Interviewing people with a learning disability about their residential service. . British Journal of Learning Disabilities , 23: : 138.–.
Rapley , M. and Antaki , C. (1996). . A conversation analysis of the ‘acquiescence’ of people with learning disabilities. . Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology , 6: : 207.–.
Sandvin , J. T. , Söder , M. , Lichtwarck , W. and Magnusson , T. (1998). . Normalisering‐sarbeid og ambivalens : bofellesskap som omsorgsarena. , [city: Oslo]: : Universitetsforl. . [ ∼ Normalisation‐work and Ambivalence: Grouped Homes as an Arena for Care].
Sigelman , C. K. , Schoenrock , C. J. , Winer , J. L. , Spanhel , C. L. , Hromas , S. G. , Martin , P. W. , Budd , E. C. and Bensberg , C. J. (1981). . “Issues in interviewing mentally retarded persons: An empirical study. ”. In Deinstitutionalization and Community Adjustment of Mentally Retarded People. , Monograph No. 4Edited by: Bruininks , R. H. , Meyer , C.E. , Sigford , B. and Lakin , K.C. : 114.–. [city: Washington D.C.]: : American Association on Mental Deficiency. .
Simons , K. , Booth , T. and Booth , W. (1989). . Speaking out: User studies and people with learning difficulties. . Research, Policy and Planning , 7((1)): : 9.–.
Tøssebro , J. (1990). . Fortellinger om velferd for psykisk utviklingshemmete. Metodiske betraktninger over interju i 3.person. , (Fra særomsorg til næromsorg. Notat nr.4)[city: Trondheim]: : Trondheim Helsefaghøgskole. . [ ∼ deliberations on interviews in the 3rd person about people with intellectual disability].
Tøssebro , J. (1992). . Institusjonsliv i velferds‐staten: levekår under HVPU. , [city: Oslo]: : Ad notam Gyldendal. . [ ∼ Life in Institutions in the Welfare State: Living Standards within the Special Care Institutions (for people with intellectual disabilities in Norway prior to the reform resulting in mass deinstitutionalization)].
Walker , R. and Wiedel , J. (1985). . “Using photographs in a discipline of words. ”. In Field methods in the study of education. , Edited by: Burgess , R. G. : 191.–. [city: London]: : Falmer Press. .
Wang , C. and Burris , M. A. (1994). . Empowerment through photo novella: Portraits of participation. . Health Education Quarterly , 21((2)): : 171.–.
Wyngaarden , M. (1981). . “Interviewing mentally retarded persons: Issues and strategies. ”. In Deinstitutionalization and Community Adjustment of Mentally Retarded People. , : 107.–. [city: Washington D.C.]: : American Association on Mental Deficiency. . In B. e. al. (Ed.).
Ziller , R. C. (1990). . Photographing the self. Methods for observing personal orientations. , [city: Newbury Park]: : Sage Publications. .

[CIT0001] Atkinson , D. (1988). . Research interviews with people with mental handicaps. . Mental Handicap Research , 1((1)): : 75.–.

[CIT0002] Azmi , S. , Hatton , C. , Emerson , E. and Caine , A. (1997). . Listening to adolescents and adults with intellectual disabilities from south asian communities. . Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities , 10((3)): : 250.–.

[CIT0003] Biklen , S. K. and Moseley , C. R. (1988). . “Are you retarded?” “No, I'm catholic”: Qualitative methods in the study of people with severe handicaps. . The Journal of the Association for People with Severe Handicaps , 13((3)): : 155.–.

[CIT0004] Bogdan , R. (1980). . “Interviewing people labeled retarded. ”. In Fieldwork experience: qualitative approaches to social research. , Edited by: Stebbins , R. A. , Shaffir , W.B. and Turowetz , A. : 235.–. [city: New York]: : St. Martin's Press. .

[CIT0005] Byers , P. (1966). . “Cameras don't take pictures. ”. : 49.–. (Reprinted from Columbia University Forum) at [http://newfirstsearch.oclc.org/ WebZ/FSFETCH:fetchtype=fullrecord:sessi onid=sp03sw11–33184‐c43y8zew‐thvc: entitypagenum=5:0?recno=17:resultset=2:f ormat‐FI:next=html/record.html:bad=error /badfetch.html::entitytoprecno=17:entitycur recno=17:numrecs=l].

[CIT0006] Carnaby , S. (1997). . What do you think?’: a qualitative approach to evaluating individual planning services. . Journal of intellectual Disability Research , 41((3)): : 225.–.

[CIT0007] Collier , J. jr. and Collier , M. . (1986). . Visual anthropology. Photography as a research method. , [city: Albuquerque]: : University of New Mexico Press. .

[CIT0008] Ender , M. G. (1997). . “Who am I?”: Autophotography as a teaching and learning tool. . The Great Plains Sociologist , 10: : 15.–.

[CIT0009] Ferguson , P. M. , Ferguson , D. L. and Taylor , S. J. (1992). . “Introduction. Interpretivism and disability studies. ”. In Interpreting disability. A qualitative reader. , Edited by: Ferguson , P. M. , Ferguson , D. L. and Taylor , S. J. : 1.–. [city: New York]: : Teachers College Press. .

[CIT0010] Flynn , M. C. (1986). . Adults who are mentally handicapped as consumers: Issues and guidelines for interviewing. . Journal of Mental Deficiency Research , 30: : 369.–.

[CIT0011] Flynn , M. C. (1989). . Independent living for adults with mental handicap. , [city: London]: : Cassell. .

[CIT0012] Glaser , B. (1998). . Doing grounded theory: Issues and discussions. , [city: Mill Valley]: : Sociology Press. .

[CIT0013] Goffman , E. (1974). . Anstalt og menneske. Den tolale institution socialt set. , [city: København]: : Jørgen Paludans Forlag [Asylums \First published by Anchor Books , Doubleday & Co.. . (1961)), 1961.

[CIT0014] Goode , D. A. (1992). . “Who is Bobby?: Ideology and method in the discovery of a Down Syndrome person's competance. ”. In Interpreting Disability. A qualitative reader. , Edited by: Ferguson , P. M. , Ferguson , D. L. and Taylor , S. J. : 197.–. [city: New York]: : Teachers College Press. .

[CIT0015] Gustavsson , A. (1998). . Inifrån utanförskapet. Om att vara annorlunda och delaktig. , [city: Stockholm]: : Johansson & Skyttmo Förlag. . [ ∼ Inside the Being Outside].

[CIT0016] Holst , J. , Kjelstrup , F. , Knudsen , A. , Larsen , T. , Meyer , H. and Pedersen , K. (1995). . Søndag er trœls. 4 metoder til udvikling og evaluering af udviklingshœmmedes leve‐miljøer gennom dialog om hverdagsliv og livskvalitet, (3): LEV's skriftserie om livskvalitet. [ ∼ Sunday's awful. 4 methods for developing and evaluating living environments through dialog about everyday life and quality of life].

[CIT0017] Holstein , J. A. and Gubrium , J. F. (1995). . The active interview. , Vol. 37, [city: Thousand Oaks]: : Sage Publications. .

[CIT0018] Jahoda , A. , Markova , I. and Cattermole , M. (1988). . Stigma and the self‐concept of people with a mild mental handicap. . Journal of Mental Deficiency Research , 32: : 103.–.

[CIT0019] Kvale , S. (1996). . InterViews. An Introduction to Qualitative Research Interviewing. , [city: Thousand Oaks]: : Sage Publications. .

[CIT0020] Matikka , L. M. and Vesala , H. T. (1997). . Aquiescence in quality‐of‐life interviews with adults who have mental retardation. . Mental Retardation , 35((2)): : 75.–.

[CIT0021] McVilly , K. R. (1995). . Interviewing people with a learning disability about their residential service. . British Journal of Learning Disabilities , 23: : 138.–.

[CIT0022] Rapley , M. and Antaki , C. (1996). . A conversation analysis of the ‘acquiescence’ of people with learning disabilities. . Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology , 6: : 207.–.

[CIT0023] Sandvin , J. T. , Söder , M. , Lichtwarck , W. and Magnusson , T. (1998). . Normalisering‐sarbeid og ambivalens : bofellesskap som omsorgsarena. , [city: Oslo]: : Universitetsforl. . [ ∼ Normalisation‐work and Ambivalence: Grouped Homes as an Arena for Care].

[CIT0024] Sigelman , C. K. , Schoenrock , C. J. , Winer , J. L. , Spanhel , C. L. , Hromas , S. G. , Martin , P. W. , Budd , E. C. and Bensberg , C. J. (1981). . “Issues in interviewing mentally retarded persons: An empirical study. ”. In Deinstitutionalization and Community Adjustment of Mentally Retarded People. , Monograph No. 4Edited by: Bruininks , R. H. , Meyer , C.E. , Sigford , B. and Lakin , K.C. : 114.–. [city: Washington D.C.]: : American Association on Mental Deficiency. .

[CIT0025] Simons , K. , Booth , T. and Booth , W. (1989). . Speaking out: User studies and people with learning difficulties. . Research, Policy and Planning , 7((1)): : 9.–.

[CIT0026] Tøssebro , J. (1990). . Fortellinger om velferd for psykisk utviklingshemmete. Metodiske betraktninger over interju i 3.person. , (Fra særomsorg til næromsorg. Notat nr.4)[city: Trondheim]: : Trondheim Helsefaghøgskole. . [ ∼ deliberations on interviews in the 3rd person about people with intellectual disability].

[CIT0027] Tøssebro , J. (1992). . Institusjonsliv i velferds‐staten: levekår under HVPU. , [city: Oslo]: : Ad notam Gyldendal. . [ ∼ Life in Institutions in the Welfare State: Living Standards within the Special Care Institutions (for people with intellectual disabilities in Norway prior to the reform resulting in mass deinstitutionalization)].

[CIT0028] Walker , R. and Wiedel , J. (1985). . “Using photographs in a discipline of words. ”. In Field methods in the study of education. , Edited by: Burgess , R. G. : 191.–. [city: London]: : Falmer Press. .

[CIT0029] Wang , C. and Burris , M. A. (1994). . Empowerment through photo novella: Portraits of participation. . Health Education Quarterly , 21((2)): : 171.–.

[CIT0030] Wyngaarden , M. (1981). . “Interviewing mentally retarded persons: Issues and strategies. ”. In Deinstitutionalization and Community Adjustment of Mentally Retarded People. , : 107.–. [city: Washington D.C.]: : American Association on Mental Deficiency. . In B. e. al. (Ed.).

[CIT0031] Ziller , R. C. (1990). . Photographing the self. Methods for observing personal orientations. , [city: Newbury Park]: : Sage Publications. .

Reading: Getting the picture: Photo‐assisted conversations as interviews

Research

Getting the picture: Photo‐assisted conversations as interviews

Author:

Helge Folkestad

About Helge

X close

Abstract

References