Analyzing Qualitative Data

Instructions A researcher was interested in learning about the reasons that people chose to engage in high-risk recreational activities. The sparse literature that exists indicates that these individuals were high in an aspect of personality labeled "sensation-seeking" - that they sought the thrill involved in taking risks and facing uncertain outcomes. The researcher felt there was more to be learned and that other factors might be explaining this preference as well. Not having a sound basis upon which to speculate, however, the researcher approached this research question in a more exploratory way - by interviewing them and letting the adventure enthusiasts themselves identify their motives and reasons. The researcher approached the ImNotScared Skydiving Club and asked for volunteers to attend a 2 hour focus group session. At that session the researcher asked the attending skydivers why they did what they did, and what they felt they got out of skydiving. The following are excerpts from the transcripts of three of the skydivers: CG: 32-year-old accountant, male, Caucasian, works full-time, married with 2 kids, club member for 3 years: "Skydiving, man, it's my life! I work during the week, and I can't wait to get out of the city and get away from it all! There're no kids, no nagging wife or boss wanting me to do something or go somewhere or pointing out my mistakes. My life is my own! And it's SO beautiful up there! It's so blue and all. I love to feel like I'm floating and I'm just letting life take me wherever it wants and I know I'll be okay. I can control some aspects of where I go but I don't want to - I just want to give myself over to the bigger forces in the universe and become a part of them for a few minutes. There's nothing else like it. And when I get down I feel let down and I just want to go up again. And for several hours I feel so different - like it's just me in the world and I can be anyone I want to be and do anything I want to do. It's SO amazing! I've never found another way to feel this way. I'll never give it up - never!!! MS: 24-year-old graduate student in English, male, African-American, single, club member for 1 year: "You know, a lot of people think I'm crazy for doing this. They think I'm gonna die doing it and that it's stupid and all. But even if something goes wrong and I die I don't care, because it's such an amazing rush. I feel like I'm tempting death and so far I've won every time. I'm here talking to you about it now, right? Yeah, and I know what I'm doing and nothing's gonna happen. I could be walking across the street and get hit by a car, right?, and die tomorrow. And then I'd have regrets - what did I do for fun? Just go to work every day and come home and go grocery shopping or watch TV or something. It wouldn't be worth it. So now I get to say 'but look what I did with my life - I had fun and looked death in the eye!' And even if I quit tomorrow I still did it - and no one can ever take that away from me!" RR: 31-year-old store manager, male, Caucasian, works full-time, married with no kids, club member for 8 years: "My wife thinks I'm crazy, and she worries a lot when I go up. I prob'ly am a little crazy to do this. But it means a lot to me. It's hard to explain - there's such a rush of energy - I suppose it's adrenaline and all - and I can feel it all over my body - everywhere in my body. What else could you do to feel that way? It's not like anything else. Oh sure, maybe there's a few other things that would make me feel this way and take me over, but not too many. And I think I need to feel this - it's become like an addiction. I find I can't go too long without another jump - my body craves it! And my brain too! I don't ever want to stop 'cause I think if I ever had to I would just wither away." Analyze the three transcripts above and also answer the questions below: What themes did you find across the three transcripts you analyzed? Indicate themes that were ordinary, major, minor, unexpected, and hard-to-classify. What conclusions can you draw about the research question from any broad or interconnected themes you detected?