Reflexivity

Whitaker, EM; Atkinson, PA

Abstract

Central to reflexivity is an awareness that the researcher and the object of study exist in a mutual relationship with one another. Thus, reflexivity calls for attention to how thinking comes to be, how it is shaped by preexisting knowledge, and how research claims are made. The topic of reflexivity is pervasive in the methodological literature of the social sciences. It is an issue for the social sciences in general, but it has particular significance for ethnographic and other qualitative research (Davies, 2008). There is no single definition of reflexivity: It has multiple meanings and connotations (Babcock, 1980). Moreover, it is apparent that some usages of “reflexivity” actually overlook its core significance. The aim of this entry is to clarify some of the main issues raised by reflexivity. This entry begins by discussing reflexivity in social research. It then examines several types of reflexivity, including epistemic, disciplinary, methodological, textual, and positional reflexivity. The entry concludes by briefly contrasting reflexivity and reflection.

Citation

Whitaker, E., & Atkinson, P. (2019). Reflexivity. In P. Atkinson, S. Delamont, A. Cernat, J. Sakshaug, & R. Williams (Eds.), SAGE Research Methods Foundations. SAGE Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526421036819785

• Online Publication Date: Sep 9, 2019
• Publication Date: Sep 9, 2019
• Deposit Date: Oct 28, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 9, 2021
• Series Title: SAGE Research Methods Foundations.
• Book Title: SAGE Research Methods Foundations
• ISBN: 9781526421036
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526421036819785
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781526421036819785
• Related Public URLs: http://methods.sagepub.com/browseseries/seriesmap/ethnographic-representation