The focus group method and contemporary French sociology

Hamel, Jacques

doi:10.1177/144078301128756382

Cited by 15 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 7 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…We therefore used focus groups, which can be compared to a ‘thinking society in miniature’ (Farr & Tafoya, ), to study social interactions within groups facing up to collective responsibility. This method originates from Lewin's studies of group interactions and social change (Hamel, ; Kalampalikis, ) and enables the researcher to look at group processes involved in construction of representations (Markova, Linell, Grossen, & Salazar Orvig, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How groups cope with collective responsibility for ecological problems: Symbolic coping and collective emotions

Caillaud

Bonnot

Ratiu

et al. 2015

British J Social Psychol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This study explores the way groups cope with collective responsibility for ecological problems. The social representations approach was adopted, and the collective symbolic coping model was used as a frame of analysis, integrating collective emotions to enhance the understanding of coping processes. The original feature of this study is that the analysis is at group level. Seven focus groups were conducted with French students. An original use of focus groups was proposed: Discussions were structured to induce feelings of collective responsibility and enable observation of how groups cope with such feelings at various levels (social knowledge; social identities; group dynamics). Two analyses were conducted: Qualitative analysis of participants' use of various kinds of knowledge, social categories and the group dynamics, and lexicometric analysis to reveal how emotions varied during the different discussion phases. Results showed that groups' emotional states moved from negative to positive: They used specific social categories and resorted to shared stereotypes to cope with collective responsibility and maintain the integrity of their worldview. Only then did debate become possible again; it was anchored in the nature-culture dichotomy such that groups switched from group-based to system-based emotions.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How groups cope with collective responsibility for ecological problems: Symbolic coping and collective emotions

Caillaud

Bonnot

Ratiu

et al. 2015

British J Social Psychol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Our approach combines standard approaches to focus group methodology, such as having a facilitator and a list of questions to guide discussion (Morgan, 1996), with newer approaches that have emerged out of research on social movements (Gamson, 1992), such as encouraging political discussions among pre-existing groups of friends. We employed Alan Tourraine's (1982) method of 'sociological intervention' (Hamel, 2001), convening groups of 5-15 people with similar political predispositions to focus on a particular problem and come to a sociological understanding of the problem, potentially enabling them to act politically and collectively on their observations (Hamel, 2001;Tourraine, 1982). However, unlike Tourraine, we allowed for the possibility that our theoretical assumptions, based on our prior research, might not resonate in discussion groups; if so, this finding would be empirically significant and help us learn more about political consciousness.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Corporation in Feminist Clothing? Young Women Discuss the Dove ‘Real Beauty’ Campaign

2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Dove campaign for 'real beauty' has been exceptionally successful, generating public attention and increased sales. This article uses focus group analysis to investigate how young, feminist-identified women understand the campaign, and how they respond when a corporation encourages them to exercise their politics through consumption. We ask whether the campaign is seen as compatible with their vision of feminism, and whether corporations are potential vehicles for feminist change.To conceptualize critical consciousness, we suggest that classical critical theory, particularly Herbert Marcuse, can be fruitfully connected with contemporary critical and feminist theories of capitalist cooptation. Participants varied in their critiques, but relished the opportunity for deliberation, and displayed a clear capacity to disentangle 'opposites' like feminism and corporate profiteering. Most women saw the campaign as 'better than nothing' and supported some notion of ethical consumption -a kind of pragmatism that suggests the difficulty of imagining alternatives to consumer capitalism.

show abstract

“…The typical focus group interview gathers a group of individuals and asks them to discuss a particular topic (Hamal, 2001;McDonald, 2002) or, alternatively, studies the social interactions of the group. At first sight it therefore appears that the focus group and the intervention group have many similarities in common.…”

Section: The Intervention Methods and Focus Groupsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sociologists in Action

Brincker¹,

Gundelach

2005

Acta Sociologica

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In this article, we argue that Alain Touraine's method of intervention is a way of conducting sociological analysis of collective action and social change, but that it must be developed in different ways. We place the intervention method within the context of Touraine's works on social movements and offer a detailed account. Drawing on the works of Pierre Bourdieu and Alberto Melucci we provide the basis for critically engaging with the method. We explore the methodological rules and procedures and the role of the researcher, and suggest a relatively more open understanding of the method. keywords: Alain Touraine ◆ action ◆ intervention method ◆ Pierre Bourdieu ◆ reflexivity ◆ social movement Intellectuals must therefore. .. provide us with a representation of the world, of the changes occurring in it, and of the actors who can. .. assert the existence of the Subject into conscious actions and movements. (2000: 300

show abstract

The focus group method and contemporary French sociology

Cited by 15 publications

References 7 publications

How groups cope with collective responsibility for ecological problems: Symbolic coping and collective emotions

How groups cope with collective responsibility for ecological problems: Symbolic coping and collective emotions

A Corporation in Feminist Clothing? Young Women Discuss the Dove ‘Real Beauty’ Campaign

Sociologists in Action

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About