Preverbal children as co-researchers: Exploring subjectivity in everyday living

Abstract

This article theoretically refines the rendering of a conceptual framework suitable for including preverbal subjects, i.e., infants, in research. It is argued that the theoretical framework "psychology from the standpoint of the subject" is useful, as its conceptualization of the human-world relationship is a dialectical one that emphasizes how children are active subjects in their own lives. Nevertheless, key concepts such as subjective reasons for action and first-person perspective, do not sufficiently encompass bodily and emotional activity. The article discusses the framework's inadequacies and, by extension, proposes the notion of Befindlichkeit, a German word translated here as embodied orientation, as a key concept that allows the inclusion of infants and toddlers as co-researchers. Befindlichkeit contributes to the analysis of the human-world relationship by situating bodily and emotional activities in processes of orientating in social practice.

Participants’ Bias in Disability Research on Family Quality of Life during the 0–6 Years Stage

“…Second, the ethical need to represent vulnerable individuals may lead researchers to explore suitable methods to enable them to be active participants in the research. For instance, the photovoice methodology has been examined as a means of providing visibility to vulnerable members of society while respecting their privacy [ 107 , 108 , 109 ]. In photovoice research, participants are informed of the ethical aspects of the use of images [ 110 ], and the informed consent of the individuals appearing in the photographs is requested.…”

Addressing Ethical Dilemmas in Research with Young Children and Families. Situated Ethics in Collaborative Research

“…The second project explored social problems related to marginalization from the everyday perspectives of children and parents (Juhl, 2014).The research was designed as participant observation in the children's everyday contexts, such as day care institutions and the family home, and qualitative interviews with caregivers, such as parents, day care professionals, and municipal social workers. The two projects share a theoretical understanding of children as agentic participants living their everyday lives in and across various contexts (Hedegaard, 2009;Juhl, 2019;Stetsenko, 2015). This approach to children entails involving them as active participants in research and paying attention to how children contribute to and develop the social practices in which they take part (this is in line with the emphasis on involving children in research found in e.g.…”

“…First, however, we present some contributions from the literature on situated ethics as a means to address emerging ethical dilemmas in research processes. Second, we anchor our approach to situated ethics in the tradition of practice research, and in an understanding of research as collaboration (Chimirri, 2015;Højholt & Kousholt, 2019;Juhl, 2019;Kousholt, 2016).…”