The Phenomenology of Everyday Life: Empirical Investigations of Human Experience [Hardcover]

"One of the pleasant surprises in reading this collection of studies is to become acquainted with interesting work done in phenomenology at the University of Tennessee over the last decade." Bernd Jager, Journal of Phenomenological Psychology

"The authors argue persuasively for the need for both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to understand the actual experience of everyday life." Choice

The Phenomenology of Everyday Life presents results from a rigorous qualitative approach to the psychological study of everyday human activities and experiences. This book does not replace scientific observation with humanistic analysis, but provides an additional perspective on significant human questions. The qualitative approach this book employs is grounded in the philosophical traditions of existentialism and phenomenology, which use dialogue as their major method of inquiry. These traditions are especially well adapted to encompass and describe human events and activities. In addition, such events can be properly investigated only on the basis of a method sensitive enough to articulate the nuances of human experience and reflection. In this latter regard, it is important to note that insights deriving from literature and the humanities are equally revealing of the human world as those from experimental psychology, biology or medicine.

The Phenomenology of Everyday Life presents results from a rigorous qualitative approach to the psychological study of everyday human activities and experiences. This book does not seek to replace scientific observation with humanistic analysis, but provides an additional perspective on significant human questions.