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Using participative techniques to mediate power relationships between the researcher and child participant

Cheryl Greyson (Faculty of Business, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, ARU Peterborough, Peterborough, UK)
Sara Spear (Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law, St Mary’s University Twickenham, Twickenham, UK)

Young Consumers

ISSN: 1747-3616

Article publication date: 2 June 2023

Issue publication date: 8 June 2023

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore how power dynamics affect research with children, focusing on how the projected and perceived role of the researcher and the use of participative techniques, can mediate power relationships between the researcher and child, and impact children’s agency.

Design/methodology/approach

The research formed part of a wider study on children’s digital device use, with children aged 4 to 11 in a UK school. Eight pairs of children participated in buddy interviews, completing several creative and arts-based activities using a choice of equipment and materials, including PlayDoh, LEGO and most innovatively, Minecraft.

Findings

The study found the researcher’s projected role, and children’s interpretation of this, impacted the power relations in the interviews. A consistent projection was challenging however, and it was necessary for the researcher to adapt their role according to children’s needs and behaviour. Offering children a choice of activities was an effective power sharing strategy, and children’s absorption in these tasks provided a wealth of data from observations and children’s on-task “chatter”.

Originality/value

Using Minecraft as a participative method enabled the children to use their superior technical abilities to take power in the interview, and show their own personal geographies virtually in 3D, and offers potential for other qualitative researchers in conducting research with the agentic child.

Keywords

Citation

Greyson, C. and Spear, S. (2023), "Using participative techniques to mediate power relationships between the researcher and child participant", Young Consumers, Vol. 24 No. 4, pp. 500-512. https://doi.org/10.1108/YC-10-2022-1618

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited

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