Travelwise

What I Learned from Guided Tours… as a Traveler and as a Researcher

In this travel reflection, Oana Popa Rengle reevaluates guided tours based on tours she recently took in Sicily and Portugal, drawing parallels between her experiences and qualitative research. Read how the exploration of a unique “spleen sandwich” in Palermo, a visit to a family-owned salt pan in Trapani, and touring Lisbon with locals inspired her approach to qualitative research. […]

Trends

Qualitative Researchers Are Facing More Anxiety, Fatigue, Stress, and Burnout, and the U.S. Mental Health Crisis Isn’t Helping

Americans’ mental health is in crisis, and it can’t help but affect the health of qualitative researchers. The notion of “catching” depression isn’t hyperbole, but a real danger for qualitative researchers. Stressed and depressed respondents, stressful client demands, and lack of management support can trigger stress, depression, and burnout. Author Renee Hopkins shares some helpful advice on how to care for one’s own well-being. […]

color photo headshot of Professor Batja Mesquita in front of a large bookshelf
Luminaries

Professor Batja Mesquita on Culture’s Role in Shaping Emotions and Accounting for Them in Research

Zoë Billington speaks with Professor Batja Mesquita, a pioneer of cultural psychology, about how culture shapes emotion, and how emotions act as powerful tools in relationships. After reading, you may be compelled to rethink if, when, and how to ask participants the very important question, “how did you feel about that?” …and even add on “and what did you do about that?” and “and how did you respond to how that made you feel?” […]

an image of Sigmund Freud psychanalyzing a female patient
Schools of Thought

How Techniques from Psychoanalysis Can Provide Deeper Insights

Darren Harvey draws from his psychoanalytic training to explain how leaning into research participants’ defensive behaviors and anxiety can provide valuable material for understanding their world. When one’s true self is seen, validated, and brought into the space, participants can enjoy a more enriching and satisfying experience, and our clients can net deeper and more meaningful insights from consumers. […]

Podcasts

VIEWS Podcasts: Laura Nozicka

Moderator and healthcare specialist Laura Nozicka joins Mike Carlon for a discussion on how moderators can use podcasting to help grow their business. In this episode, Mike and Laura discuss Laura’s path to marketing research, how she got her moderating business off the ground, and how she’s using podcasting to grow her business as it becomes more mature. […]

Art installation at Civic Space Park in Phoenix Arizona by Artist Janet Echelman
Travelwise

Feeling SmART by Slowing Down

The life of a qualitative researcher often has us flying in and out to new cities with little regard for the places we visit when conducting research. Nick Wise reminds us that “therapeutic recreation”—like absorbing the public art landscape on our travels—can help us transition from a mind that is always full, to an outlook that is more mindful of what else is out there. […]