20 PHENOMENOLOGICAL RESEARi She conducted intensive interviews with 10 registere in the psychiatric unit of a metropolitan hospital. F depictions of the nurses’ experience of coping oped the following composite depiction. The composite depiction of an experience is dex of immersion into, study of, and concentration 01 phenomenon as presented by each co-res process, the qualities, core themes, and e: many obstacles. The external world is and one has to get through all these is overwhelmed with apprehen: other mental health workers are Everyone wants to extract a piece 0 The outside world doesn’t ac don’t feel the nurses are doing: their loved ones. Families do the impossible. The psycl when she is unable to meet th This frustration and d nurse feels unable to for a transfer to The internal v oe world.Human Science Perspectives and Models and feel, and suffer from the alienation, tension, and conflict that this creates. On the positive side, the psychiatric nurse’s ability to do what is demanded of her in the face of increasing stress and apprehension promotes a sense of being strong and enduring. In fact, this is verified by the lengthy years of service of my co-researchers and their conviction that in spite of feeling disempowered, in spite of fears and apprehensions and in spite of Jmed, they are convinced they have contributed to the being overwhe! security, safety, and quality of life of their patients. (Becker, 1993) COMMON QUALITIES OF HUMAN SCIENCE RESEARCH 21 The research models of Ethnography, Grounded Research Theory, Hermeneutics, presented in this cl distinguish them from tr theories and methodologies. These common bonds include: | recognizing the value o human experiences tha Empirical Phenomenology, and Heuristics have been hapter. The models hold certain common features that ditional, natural science, quantitative research f qualitative designs and methodologies, studies of t are not approachable through quantitative ap- proaches 2. focusing on the wholeness of experience rather than solely on its objects or parts 3. searching for meanings and essences of experience rather than measure- ments and explanations 4. obtaining descriptions of experience through first-person accounts 1n informal and formal conversations and interviews 5. regarding the data of experience as imperati behavior and as evidence for scientific investigations 6. formulating questions and problems that reflect the and personal commitment of the researcher 7. viewing experience and behavior ship of subject and object and of parts and whole Development of a transcendental p! focus of this volume on phenomeno guided by the “common bonds” listed abov' however, in the Jaunching of a qualitative stu ive in understanding human interest, involvement, as an integrated and inseparable relation- henomenological model that is the logical research methods also is e. Major differences exist, dy from a transcendental40 PHENOMENOLOGICAL RESEARCH M ETH bs Louise and I walked on the sand in silence except for the gulls... [earned that her silence is an outcome of shyness. Wr, walked some while, she began to refer to her school experiens CN We ha, disappointment in what was being taught, the lack of freedom es and learn things of value to her. I asked her if school was the oni 4 {*t0 learning. I sensed that she was aware that life itself outside the cl, tapped her ability to learn. She immediately pointed to the beach, water and what could be learned through observation. 1 asked wig nt learned, To my surprise she literally shouted, “Do you really want, she hag Sometimes big people don’t want to hear what children have 1M"? assured her that I was not only interested but had no other imerog 2. | with her but to listen and understand her. ‘St While She began to open up in a way that I never thought would said she loved being at the beach, noticing things, the smoot! rocks from the constant work of sand and water going over and over the thousands and millions of times. The rocks called to her, fascinated ne told her stories of movement from the bottom of the ocean, of shite: shapes, sizes, colors, affected by the intense, continuing sun shine and i heavy wind storms. She pointed to large pieces of driftwood which she. sy originally came from trees hanging over the edge of cliffs overlooking water. Wind and rain pushed the tree limbs into the ocean and afier some time onto the beach, worn, weathered, lined, bleached. She then invited me to join her in skipping small flat rocks on top of the water. With fine rhythm and motion her rocks skipped far out to sea, six to eight times. She said “the sea is here to give fish and other food things, and a place to swim, sail, and play.” Our meetings passed quickly. We wrote in the sand, drew pictures, and watched intently as the waves washed our creations away. I believe that Louise felt good, free, open, expressive in my presence. I learned to listen, to sense her meanings, to express my interest and valuing of her. I have no doubt that my meetings with her were but a beginning but in itself of value in recognizing and supporting her, her initiative and way of being. She alternated silence and talk and entrusted me with some of the things that mattered most in her life. SOU oF the a lasstoom happen. She Ness ofthe SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION The path of Transcendental Phenomenology, leading to knowledge the absolute sense, is “necessarily the path of universal self-knowledge—