The Emotion of ‘Doing Ethics’ in Healthcare Research: A Researcher’s Reflexive Account

Abstract

Purpose – This chapter reflects on the importance of being reflexive as a socio-legal researcher whilst seeking to address the practicalities, challenges and methods of being reflexive during the research process. The chapter demonstrates ‘doing it’ by reporting on the use of an internal dialogue of the researcher’s feelings and choices during research encounters to reflect on the status of insider knowledge in the interview process. It also charts the unexpected emotional reactions of participants, and in doing so, highlights the challenges of reflection in and on everyday practice as a physiotherapist.

Methodology/Approach – The research reported here was an empirical ethics study using in-depth interviews and the voice-centred relational method as practical means of doing and being reflexive.

Findings – The chapter sheds light on the role of emotion in the research process, the author’s emotional position as researcher and the unexpected emotional reactions of participants.

Originality/Value – The chapter presents a practical method of reflexivity in qualitative research and considers the personal and ethical issues that arise during the research process from the competing perspectives of both insider and researcher. The key lesson learnt is the importance of reflecting on ethically important, and at times uncomfortable, moments in the research process so that other researchers can learn about the ‘how to’ of reflexivity and reflexive writing.

Citation

Latchem-Hastings, G. (2018), "The Emotion of ‘Doing Ethics’ in Healthcare Research: A Researcher’s Reflexive Account", Loughran, T. and Mannay, D. (Ed.) Emotion and the Researcher: Sites, Subjectivities, and Relationships (Studies in Qualitative Methodology, Vol. 16), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 213-228. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1042-319220180000016014