Understanding and Reflexivity in Researching Religion, Spirituality and Aging

摘要

When examining issues of religion, spirituality, and aging, core values of the researcher or dominant culture may unduly influence study design, interpretation, and representation of findings. Awareness of the process of understanding and the role of preunderstandings provides the conceptual underpinnings for expansion of reflexive research practice, especially when investigating value-laden phenomena. Starting with Gadamer's framework for understanding, this discussion explores how attending to reflexivity can help researchers recognize, address and account for prejudices and preunderstandings that may hinder appreciation of religious traditions and spiritual stances that are very different from their own.