ARTICLE | Qualitative Research

Qualitative Research

Why are we encouraged to be part to the scene? As we know, qualitative research is more interested to provide depth rather than scope. And what better way to get deeper understanding of a particular concept under study than knowing how it really feels to be there. 

This principle is like the Emic and Etic concerns in anthropology where Emic is when you see a world from outside and Etic coming from inside. Of course there are good and bad sides to seeing the world from inside as well as from outside. But it is from the inside that we truly understand what is going on. Also, being a part of a scene gives us more space in understanding.

As an example, when I was in Korea I have learned so many things about Korean culture. You see, we have pre-conceive notions about Koreans although we haven’t really interacted with them that much. We think Koreans smell bad specifically of fermented Chinese cabbage (kimchi) and that they don’t take a bath. To us, that is all that we understand and although insufficient with explanations, we have taken our notions valid because they are shared by other people from the same circle (Filipinos) and the idea thus is reinforced. So this typification applies to all Koreans. But when I got the chance to be exposed to their culture, I understood that the reason why they don’t take a bath sometimes is because they don’t want to get late with their appointments and so go to work knowing that tasks are more important than smell which is the opposite in our culture. In the Philippines, people get late for meetings because it takes time to shower. And so if we think about it, yes Koreans have their point our judgment has been rather hasty.

So again, being a part of the scene makes people see things in a clearer way.  It’s like wearing glasses when your eyesight has become poor.