Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches

FIELD RESEARCH AND FOCUS GROUP RESEARCH

participate. You may never gain the cooperation of
everyone, or a lukewarm relationship may develop
only after prolonged persistence.
Rapport helps you understand members, but
understanding is a precondition for greater depth,
not an end in itself. It slowly develops in the field
as you overcome an initial bewilderment with a
new or unusual system of social meaning. Once
you attain an understanding of a member’s point of
view, the next step is to learn how to think and act
from within the member’s perspective. This is empa-
thy, or adopting, at least temporarily, another’s per-
spective. Empathy does not necessarily mean being
sympathetic, agreeing, or approving; it means feel-
ing things as another does.^32 Rapport helps create
understanding and ultimately empathy, and the
development of empathy facilitates greater rapport.
The novel To Kill a Mockingbirdnotes the connec-
tion between rapport and empathic understanding:

“First of all,” [Atticus] said, “if you can learn a

simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with

all kinds of folks. You never really understand a per-

son until you consider things from his point of view.”

“Sir?”

“—until you climb into his skin and walk

around in it.” (Lee, 1960:34)

Perform Small Favors.Exchange relationships

develop in the field in which small tokens or favors,

including deference and respect, are exchanged.^33

You may gain acceptance by helping in small ways.

Exchange helps when access to sensitive issues is

limited. You may offer small favors but not burden

members by asking for any in return. As you and

members share experiences and see each other

again, members recall the favors and reciprocate

by allowing access. For example, Fine (1987:242)

learned a lot when he was providing small favors

(e.g., driving the boys to the movies) as part of his

“adult friend” role. He (1996:x) also reported that

he washed potatoes, cleaned beans, and performed

many small chores during his study of restaurant

kitchens.

Avoid Conflicts.Fights, conflict, and disagreements

can erupt in the field, or you may study groups with

opposing positions. In such situations, you will feel

pressure to take sides and may be tested to see

whether you can be trusted. On such occasions, you

usually want to stay on the neutral side and walk a

tightrope between opposing sides because once you

become aligned with one side, you will be cut off

from access to the other side.^34 In addition, you will

see the situation from only one point of view. Nev-

ertheless, some (e.g., Van Maanen, 1982:115) argue

that true neutrality is illusory. Avoiding conflict

entirely is not possible as you become involved with

members and embroiled in webs of relationships

and commitments.

Appear Interested.We try to maintain an appear-

ance of interestin the field. An experienced

researcher appears to be interested in and involved

with field events by statements and behaviors (e.g.,

using facial expression, going for coffee, orga-

nizing a party) even if he or she is not truly inter-

ested. This is so because you can weaken field

relationships if members see you as bored or dis-

tracted. When you appear uninterested in field site

activities, you are sending a message that the mem-

bers are dull, boring people and you do not want to

be there—hardly a way to build trust, intimacy, and

strong social bonds. Putting up a temporary front of

involvement is a common small deception we use

in daily life and is part of the more general social

norm of being polite.^35

Of course, selective inattention (i.e., not star-

ing or appearing not to notice) is also part of acting

polite. If a person makes a social mistake (e.g., acci-

dentally uses an incorrect word, passes gas), the

polite thing to do is to ignore it. Selective inatten-

tion works in the field; if you are alert, it gives you

an opportunity to casually eavesdrop on conversa-

tions or observe events not meant to be public.

Be the Acceptable Incompetent.As a researcher,

you are in the field to learn, not to be an expert.

Appearance of interest A technique that field

researchers use to maintain relations in a field site in

which they pretend to be interested in and excited by

the activities of those studied even though they are

actually not interested.