In addition to a pluralistic approach, this research also combined methods. Mixed-methods entails the use of both qualitative and quantitative tools (Spicer, 2004). Historically, engaging in such processes has been criticised on the basis that quantitative and qualitative methods stem from differing and arguably irreconcilable paradigms (Spicer, 2004; Thomas, 2003); however, contemporary research has adopted a much more open view (Thomas, 2003). Indeed, it is the very different nature of these approaches and their respective contributions that made them appropriate and valuable for this research.
Research Purpose
Competitive bodybuilders and Identity
Who are the competitive bodybuilders in New Zealand?
How and why do people become competitive bodybuilders?
What does it mean to be a competitive bodybuilder?
Do competitive bodybuilder identities evolve over time? If so, in what ways?
Do bodybuilder identities reinforce, challenge and/or influence other identities within the self?
Why do participants stop being a competitive bodybuilder? What happens to their identities then?
Figure 3.2: Elements of the pluralistic approach. Adapted from: (Probert, 2006, p.8)
Grounded Theory
Relevance and Attraction to Research:
Explores processes: experiences, meanings, and contextual factors
An inductive approach conducive to new theory formation
Recognises the use of multiple data collection methods
Prior experience could be considered data
Offers data collection flexibility via constant comparison and theoretical sampling
The development of new theory has research appeal
Limitations and Detractions:
Flexibility could be overshadowed by systematic coding requirements
The acceptability of self in the research study is unclear
Insider Research
Relevance and Attraction to my Research:
Recognises a relational interface between the researcher and the participants
Provides a framework for the placement of self in the study.
Limitations and Detractions:
Potential conflicts with researcher objectivity and bracketing.
Risks of by-passing aspects of normalised group processes.
Relevance and Attraction to Research:
Recognises the subjective nature of reality
Gives primacy to lived experiences of participants
Participants describe experiences in their own words
Limitations and Detractions:
Requires “bracketing” of prior knowledge
Lacks fit with my research as it: • focuses on the process, as
opposed to the phenomenon
• explores more than
participants’ meanings
The methods adopted in this research were a postal questionnaire (quantitative), participant interviews and photo elicitation (qualitative). Research notes also included observations, informal discussions, and attendance at bodybuilding events. They documented additional insights to consider in tandem with themes emerging from the interview process, as well as my own reflective thoughts as researcher and bodybuilder.
The outcomes from the qualitative and quantitative process were compared at different points in the process for commonalities and discrepancies. There can be different ways of combining methods, and varying strategies that underpin their use. In this format, the use of quantitative and qualitative tools, while interrelated, are viewed as addressing different, but interrelated facets of the research question. Their combination enhances understanding of the phenomenon and their results inform each other. This approach can be distinguished from one of triangulation, where the results are used to cross-check for consistency as a means of testing confidence in the outcomes (Spicer, 2004). The mixed-method approach acknowledges that differing perspectives exist and that as a result outcomes may not necessarily converge. Not only are such discrepancies acceptable but, according to Spicer (2004), such diversities and contradictions should be incorporated in the research findings. They can also add to the discovery process by prompting further consideration of the data.
Interviews are consistent with a phenomenological approach, which advocates that prime means of accessing and understanding a phenomenon is through descriptions of it in the participant’s own words. They offer rich insights into the lives and identities of research participants, capture the feel and emotion of stories, and enable complex issues such as meanings and motivations to be fully explored. The use of in-depth interviews was also consistent with a grounded theory approach; although grounded theory also provides for the inclusion of other methods (Wimpenny & Gass, 2000).
Before initiating the interviews, attempts were made to collate basic demographic information, such as participation numbers and gender composition, about competitive bodybuilding in New Zealand. This type of information was considered valuable as it could help frame the phenomenon and provide some introductory understanding of the activity and identity possibilities. However, discussions with the New Zealand bodybuilding associations (P. Langford, NZFBB2, Secretary, pers. comm., 5 April 2005; M. Poole, NABBA3, Secretary, pers. comm., 5 April 2005) and Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC, 2001) revealed there was a lack of such information, due to the limited resources of the associations and bodybuilding’s minority sport status. A postal questionnaire was therefore developed to capture this type of broad scene-setting information. Questionnaires have the capacity to collect valuable statistical information in a relatively cost-effective manner from a significant number of participants (Spicer, 2004; Thomas, 2003), even though they can be functionally remote. Combined with interviews, the resulting combination of methods lent itself to a rich mixture of data.
Photo elicitation was utilised as an added dimension to the qualitative process. Although it is not an extensively used tool (Prosser, 1998), the aesthetic nature of bodybuilding and its extensive use of photography at competitive events provided an ideal opportunity for its creative inclusion. Furthermore, a review of existing research methods indicated no identified prior use of such techniques within bodybuilding studies – thus it reflected an innovative research application. Photo elicitation is a method where photographs are used in the course of interviews as a means of stimulating further discussion with the participant, through its added visual dimension (Curry, 1986). Photographs can be used in different ways and address a variety of subject possibilities (Curry, 1986; Heisley & Levy, 1991; Noland, 2006; Prosser, 1998). With respect to this research, participants were asked to bring their favourite photograph of themselves as bodybuilders to the interview. It was envisaged this would provide another means through which they could describe
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New Zealand Federation of Bodybuilding 3
and express their identity (Dollinger, Preston, O'Brien, & DiLalla, 1996). As suggested by Noland (2006, p. 5) the use of photos can “help identify what people value, what images they prefer, how they define their world, and how they picture others”. Photographs can also contain important emotional and symbolic messages that are relevant to participant identity and their experiences.
There were also other advantages to their inclusion. Photo elicitation may help sharpen participant memories. They can be used to build rapport, focus discussion, and put participants at ease (Harper, 2002; Loeffler, 2004a, 2004b; Noland, 2006). However, there can be disadvantages to their use. Photo elicitation adds time and potentially cost to the research process. Outcomes may prove difficult to generalise to the broader population, and rather than adding rapport and openness to the interview process, in some cases the use of photographs may make participants self-conscious (Curry, 1986; Heisley & Levy, 1991). The decision to include participant photographs in the thesis was not undertaken lightly. Their inclusion would add visual appeal and help to showcase themes discussed. As photo-elicitation was rarely used in sports research it was methodologically adventurous. However, such inclusion risked compromising the anonymity of participants as competitive bodybuilding was a small community in New Zealand. Despite covering their faces, bodybuilders could sometimes recognise each other by their bodies and signature poses. Weighing up these factors, a decision was made to include participant photographs, however to instigate procedures to minimise the risk of identity exposure. For example, the corresponding pseudonyms were not placed with the pictures (to reduce identification) and not all pictures were ultimately included in the final publication (e.g. one picture comprised a competition poster which clearly identified the participant and event). These procedures were undertaken, in addition to all participants providing written consent for their photos to be used in the thesis.