Method, Methodology and Methodological Thinking

Abstract

This concluding chapter discusses issues related to the contemporary tendency of rethinking the research methodology both in psychology and in early childhood studies. Such a rethinking is not only about limitations of statistical methods, measurements and validity issues, it is about searching for new ways in research and therefore a new methodology per se. The first part of this chapter briefly describes new directions and perspectives which cultural-historical framework opens in formulating research questions and developing research strategies. These main directions are (1) changing the focus of research questions from stages of development to the process of development, (2) changing the focus of research strategies from investigation of child’s behaviour to analysis of sociocultural contexts and institutions, (3) changing the focus from investigation of results (‘fruits’) to the processes of transformations of ‘buds’ into ‘fruits’ and (4) changing the focus from ‘classical observations’ to observations in existing or specially created experimental conditions. These directions are discussed in turn followed by a broad discussion of methodological principles, concluding with a theorisation of the role of researcher.

Culture itself profoundly refines the natural state of behavior of the person and alters completely anew the whole course of his development. (Vygotsky 1997, p. 223)