Feelings in the Field

Maria Concetta Lo Bosco

doi:10.3167/aia.2021.280202

Feelings in the Field

Anthropology in Action ◽

10.3167/aia.2021.280202 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 28 (2) ◽

pp. 8-17

Author(s):

Maria Concetta Lo Bosco

Keyword(s):

Pastoral Care ◽

Support Networks ◽

Emotional Impact ◽

Autistic Children ◽

Emotional Challenges ◽

Fieldwork Experience ◽

Affective Dimensions

Despite the recent theoretical debate over the importance of addressing emotions in fieldwork, most European undergraduate programmes in anthropology still lack methodology courses that specifically focus on the emotional impact of doing research. In this article, I draw from my research with activist parents of autistic children in Portugal to explore the affective dimensions of fieldwork experience. In particular, I give an account of how I have dwelled on the emotional challenges that I faced, how these have resulted in vehicles of understanding and affected the analysis of my work as an anthropologist. While fieldwork experience always entails unexpected and surprising emotional challenges, I argue that as anthropologists we can surely benefit from more tailored support networks, safer spaces for discussion, and better pastoral care.

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Parents in Support Networks: A Strategy to Support Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care in Education ◽

10.1080/02643949209470783 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 42-43

Author(s):

Graham Bourgault

Keyword(s):

Pastoral Care ◽

Support Networks

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An exploration of the emotional impact of organisational ethnography

Journal of Organizational Ethnography ◽

10.1108/joe-07-2016-0018 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 5 (3) ◽

pp. 304-316 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Angela Stephanie Mazzetti

Keyword(s):

Design Methodology ◽

Emotional Experience ◽

Research Process ◽

Ethnographic Study ◽

Emotional Impact ◽

Content Type ◽

Emotional Challenges ◽

Ethnographic Studies ◽

Practical Implications ◽

Insight Into

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to highlight the diverse and strong emotions experienced by the researcher when conducting an ethnographic study in an organisational setting. Design/methodology/approach In this paper extracts from research diaries written over a three-year organisational ethnography study period are presented to the reader. Findings This paper provides an insight into the range of emotions that are experienced throughout the various stages of the research process from securing access, to conducting fieldwork and writing up research for publication. Research limitations/implications Although this paper focusses on organisational ethnography, comparisons are drawn with related disciplines and as such, this paper may also be of interest to those conducting ethnographic studies in other fields. Practical implications It is hoped that the sharing of emotional experiences will better prepare new organisational researchers for the emotions they may experience in the field. Originality/value There is a recognised need for more sharing of emotional experience in organisational studies. It is hoped that this paper goes some way to highlighting these emotional challenges and providing a catalyst for other researchers to do the same.

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Development of Neural Structure and Function in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Potential Implications for Learning Language

American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology ◽

10.1044/2020_ajslp-19-00209 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (4) ◽

pp. 1783-1797

Author(s):

Kelly L. Coburn ◽

Diane L. Williams

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Language Development ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Language Intervention ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Autistic Children ◽

Neural Structure ◽

Complex Information ◽

And Function

Purpose Neurodevelopmental processes that begin during gestation and continue throughout childhood typically support language development. Understanding these processes can help us to understand the disruptions to language that occur in neurodevelopmental conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Method For this tutorial, we conducted a focused literature review on typical postnatal brain development and structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, magnetoencephalography, and electroencephalography studies of the neurodevelopmental differences that occur in ASD. We then integrated this knowledge with the literature on evidence-based speech-language intervention practices for autistic children. Results In ASD, structural differences include altered patterns of cortical growth and myelination. Functional differences occur at all brain levels, from lateralization of cortical functions to the rhythmic activations of single neurons. Neuronal oscillations, in particular, could help explain disrupted language development by elucidating the timing differences that contribute to altered functional connectivity, complex information processing, and speech parsing. Findings related to implicit statistical learning, explicit task learning, multisensory integration, and reinforcement in ASD are also discussed. Conclusions Consideration of the neural differences in autistic children provides additional scientific support for current recommended language intervention practices. Recommendations consistent with these neurological findings include the use of short, simple utterances; repetition of syntactic structures using varied vocabulary; pause time; visual supports; and individualized sensory modifications.

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Emotional Impact Feedback Changes How We Remember Negative Autobiographical Experiences

Experimental Psychology (formerly Zeitschrift für Experimentelle Psychologie) ◽

10.1027/1618-3169/a000042 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 57 (5) ◽

pp. 354-359 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Melanie K. T. Takarangi ◽

Deryn Strange

Keyword(s):

Well Being ◽

The Other ◽

Personal Perspective ◽

Emotional Impact ◽

Potential Mechanism ◽

Negative Experiences ◽

Negative Memory ◽

The Relationship ◽

Negative Memories ◽

Over Time

When people are told that their negative memories are worse than other people’s, do they later remember those events differently? We asked participants to recall a recent negative memory then, 24 h later, we gave some participants feedback about the emotional impact of their event – stating it was more or less negative compared to other people’s experiences. One week later, participants recalled the event again. We predicted that if feedback affected how participants remembered their negative experiences, their ratings of the memory’s characteristics should change over time. That is, when participants are told that their negative event is extremely negative, their memories should be more vivid, recollected strongly, and remembered from a personal perspective, compared to participants in the other conditions. Our results provide support for this hypothesis. We suggest that external feedback might be a potential mechanism in the relationship between negative memories and psychological well-being.

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