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Micro-Phenomenological Self-Inquiry

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Abstract

This article presents and discusses the method of micro-phenomenological self-inquiry. Micro-phenomenology is usually performed with two persons, one interviewer and one interviewee. Micro-phenomenological self-inquiry consists of one person investigating their own experience. The different aspects of the regular micro-phenomenological interview are reviewed in relation to the process of self-inquiry. Examples of recent studies that apply micro-phenomenological self-inquiry are presented. Finally, there is a discussion of some methodological problems and objections. Advantages and disadvantages of micro-phenomenological self-inquiry are considered. Suggestions are given for what kind of research and research contexts that micro-phenomenological self-inquiry may be particularly suitable for.

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Notes

  1. Note that Thompson revised this assessment of Husserlian phenomenology as representationalist, reductionistic, overly theoretical, and methodologically solipsistic, suggesting that Husserlian phenomenology has “far more resources than [they] realized for productive cross-fertilization with both the sciences of mind […] and Buddhist thought” (Thomson, 2010, pp. 413–414).

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Funding

This project received funding from Software AG Stiftung and from the internal grant program (project: Micro-Phenomenology as a First-Person Method) of the Faculty of Health at Witten/Herdecke University, Germany.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Witten/Herdecke, Witten, Germany

    Terje Sparby

  2. Integrated Curriculum for Anthroposophic Psychology (ICURAP), University of Witten/Herdecke, Witten, Germany

    Terje Sparby

  3. Rudolf Steiner University College, Oslo, Norway

    Terje Sparby

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Correspondence to Terje Sparby.

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Sparby, T. Micro-Phenomenological Self-Inquiry. Phenom Cogn Sci 22, 247–266 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11097-022-09815-9

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