What interferes with conducting free lists? A comparative ethnobotanical experiment

Abstract

Background The free list, also written “freelist”, or “free recall”, is an ethnographic method that characterizes the local knowledge of a population about a given cultural domain. However, there is still much to elucidate about the variables that can influence the number of items that participants cite using this technique. This study applied a casual-comparative experimental design to analyze whether 3 months’ time, age, and external stimuli influence the similarity of plant free lists applied at different times. Methods Data was collected from 103 farmers from the rural community Alto dos Canutos, in the municipality of Picos, Piauí state, Brazil. Two free lists were conducted at two different times, with an interval of three months between them. Subsequently, the similarity between the first and second free lists of each participant was calculated using the Jaccard Similarity Index. The generalized linear model (GLM) with binomial errors and stepwise approach was used to analyze the effects of age and external stimuli on information collection when comparing free lists applied at different times. Results Participants’ age influenced the information that the free lists collected, demonstrating that the older the participants, the lower the similarity among the free lists. Among the external stimuli analyzed, only the presence of third parties influenced the content of the free lists at the time of the interview. However, contrary to expectations, third-party presence positively influenced the similarity of the lists. Conclusion The results show that the studied variables age and third-party presence can influence the capture of knowledge. These findings warrant future research into the influences’ causes and their potential mitigation, e.g., by isolation or by breaking the medicinal plant domain into focused sub-domains and conducting simpler, successive free-lists, which can mitigate memory issues.

Short-term temporal analysis and children's knowledge of the composition of important medicinal plants: the structural core hypothesis

“…There is still a lack of studies in ethnobotany that seek to investigate the evolution of important knowledge over time, with some exceptions [ 22 , 23 ]. These studies may take the form of tracking the components of this knowledge in punctual collections through space/time [such as through free lists or questionnaires] or investigating how many new generations [children and adolescents] “absorb” the knowledge of plant species from this structure.…”

Why Acute Undernutrition? A Qualitative Exploration of Food Preferences, Perceptions and Factors Underlying Diet in Adolescent Girls in Rural Communities in Nigeria

“…The facilitator explained the aims of the study and the confidentiality of the outcomes. The food preferences and perceptions of nourishing foods described by the study participants were explored via free listing, an established anthropological and ethnographic technique used to generate ordered lists of domain elements as they occur to the minds of interviewees [39][40][41]. This technique investigates how individuals in groups conceptualize lists of items that generally belong together in one cognitive domain [42].…”

Directions In Brazilian Ethnobiology

“…A crucial component of ethnobiology research in Brazil has been a critical reflection on research methods, including the discussion and analysis of different methodologies used (e.g., Chaves et al 2019;Jacob et al 2021;Lyra-Neves et al 2015;Meireles et al 2021;Silva et al 2022). This reflection has led to the development of new approaches that consider the complexity and diversity of knowledge systems and practices of local communities and traditional peoples, as well as scientific questions.…”