DSE141
TMA02
Part 1
Compare and contrast how content analysis and ethnographic research have been used to study children’s understanding of friendship.
The subject of Children’s friendships has been analysed by a number of researchers and psychologists. Because it is a very complex, individual and detailed subject so when studying children's friendships it is essential for psychologists to first establish the best method and approach to use. The two studies that I will focus on at this essay will be the content analysis approach conducted by Bigelow and La Gaipa (1974) and the ethnographic approach practiced by William Corsaro. When analysing the foundations of both studies it is clear that they both had interest in the research of children’s friendships but the two studies were evolved on very different areas.
In my essay each study will be deliberately discussed including researched subject and also the methods that were used during the study. Based on this information, similarities and differences will logically emerge building platform for comparing and contrasting the two. The purpose of both sets of research was to understand children’s perception of friendship to then be able to gain a better vision of the important role friendships play in children’s life.
The point of interest for Bigelow and La Gaipa (1974) was children’s understanding of friendship and how this understanding could change throughout the stages of development (Brownlow, 2010 p. 242).
Bigelow and La Gaipa method differs and contrasts the research interest of William Corsaro. Brian Bigelow and John La Gaipa decided to study children’s friendships, an area that had involved insignificant research. They focused on exploring...