Spotlight: Vinson Institute Hosts International Q Methodology Conference
Scholars from throughout the country and nine foreign countries gathered at the University of Georgia in Athens September 23-25 for the annual conference of the International Society for the Scientific Study of Subjectivity (ISSSS). The Vinson Institute hosted the conference, which is in its 20th year.
The focus of the international meeting was on the use of Q methodology, a research tool that assists researchers in understanding in greater depth what and how individuals think about a specific topic. It was created in the early 1930s by William Stephenson, who held doctoral degrees in both psychology and physics, according to Dan Durning, Institute faculty member who was the UGA liaison for the conference.
Q methodology is used to address research questions in many disciplines. Durning and others at the Institute are interested in the use of Q methodology in public policy analysis. “Q methodology can provide insights into how different stakeholders or segments of the public view controversial policy issues or define policy problems. As a post-positivist methodology, it yields information not available through the usual statistical methods,” he explained.
The ISSSS is an interdisciplinary group with an interest in the continued development of Q methodology for the study of subjectivity across disciplines. This range is reflected in the conference agenda, which featured presentations of papers, workshops, and various other sessions. The keynote speaker was Dr. Len Barchak, professor of public relations at McNeese State University and a leader in the use of Q methodology.
