Critical realism: what you should know and how to apply it

Lawani, Ama

doi:10.1108/qrj-08-2020-0101

Cited by 27 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 43 publications

(71 reference statements)

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“…The data set was analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis (TA) within a critical realist framework. Critical realism is a contextualist philosophy of science based on ontological realism and epistemological relativism (Lawani, 2021). Participants construct their own accounts of their experiences within their social and cultural environment’s broader structures, roles, culture, time, and language (Willig, 2013).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Better than scrolling: Digital detox in the search for the ideal self.

Vialle,

Machin,

Abel

2024

Psychology of Popular Media

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Many popular press articles promote the benefits of undergoing a digital detox for people who believe screen-based digital media is detrimental to their well-being. This qualitative study aimed to better understand the experiences of people who undertake digital detoxes. Semistructured interviews were conducted with five women and two men. Reflexive thematic analysis of the data generated two themes: (a) resisting temptation: the digital diet and (b) in search of the perfect self: actual versus ideal. The motivations to undertake a digital detox focus on a discrepancy between an individual’s ideal self and how they perceive themselves when using digital technology. Here, digital technology, especially smartphones and social media, is seen as a threat to values, self-regulation, and self-esteem. While the undertaking a digital detox is viewed as a way of reducing self-discrepancy, many people consider their digital technologies vital tools to manage their work and social lives. Individuals experiencing self-discrepancy may benefit from greater exposure to research articulating the benefits of digital technology to shift their perception of abstinence being ideal when some consumption is almost inevitable in modern life.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Better than scrolling: Digital detox in the search for the ideal self.

Vialle,

Machin,

Abel

2024

Psychology of Popular Media

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“…The interviews were analyzed using a reflexive thematic analysis, chosen due to its flexibility and usefulness to identify broad patterns of meaning across datasets [ 34 , 35 ]. Grounded in critical realism [ 36 ], this study embraced the belief in an independent reality while acknowledging that the interpretation is shaped by individual cultural, social, and political influences. The reporting of the study follows the guidelines from the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research, COREQ [ 37 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Recovery activities are needed every step of the way”—exploring the process of long-term recovery in people previously diagnosed with exhaustion disorder

Aronsson,

Neely,

Boraxbekk

et al. 2024

BMC Psychol

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Background Sick-leave rates are high due to stress-related illnesses, but little is still known about the process of recovery from these conditions. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of the recovery process, 6 to 10 years after treatment in people previously diagnosed with exhaustion disorder (ED), focusing on facilitators and barriers for the process of recovery from ED, and recovery activities experienced as helpful during the recovery process. Method Thirty-eight participants (average age: 52 years, 32 females) previously diagnosed with ED were interviewed with semi-structured interviews 6–10 years after undergoing treatment. The interviews were analyzed with thematic analysis. Results Three themes resulted from the analysis. The first theme, “A long and rocky road”, summarizes the fluctuating path to feeling better and emphasizes barriers and facilitators that affected the process of recovery, with a focus on external life events and the participants’ own behaviors. Facilitators were changing workplace, receiving support, a reduction in stressors, and changed behaviors. Barriers were a poor work environment, caregiver responsibilities, negative life events and lack of support. The second theme “Recovery activities are needed every step of the way” describes how both the need for recovery activities and the types of activities experienced as helpful changed during the recovery process, from low-effort recovery activities for long periods of time to shorter and more active recovery activities. Recovery activities were described as important for self-care but hard to prioritize in everyday life. The last theme, “Reorienting to a new place”, captures the struggle to cope with the remaining impact of ED, and how internal facilitators in terms of understanding and acceptance were important to reorient and adjust to a new way of functioning. Conclusions Recovering from ED is a long and ongoing process where recovery activities are needed every step of the way. Our results highlight the importance of supporting personal recovery and long-term behavioral change, addressing individual stressors that may perpetuate the condition, and adjusting recovery activities according to where the person is in the recovery process. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT0073772. Registered on March 8, 2017. This study was pre-registered on Open Science Framework (osf.io).

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“…abduction, data is theoretically redescribed, i.e. hypothetical explanation (Lawani, 2020; Thapa and Omland, 2018). To clarify, empirical studies selected for this study were assessed to redescribe normative control systems in terms of forces of attraction.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Agential explanations: how employee participation is enhanced in normatively controlled organizations?

Hassan

Nadeem

2023

MRR

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Purpose The study aims to highlight and understand, and bring the human agency into the debate on the theory of normative control. While, the previous literature has highlighted the problem of the missing subject. However, the actual human agency in terms of agential properties has not been seriously addressed. This study is an attempt to overcome this problem of the missing subject. Design/methodology/approach A two-phase design inspired by retroductive inference was adopted for this study. In the first phase, abduction was used to explore the literature on normative control to highlight the forces of attraction, which may pull the employees to participate willingly within normative control systems. In the second phase, following retroductive inference, agential explanations of the forces of attraction identified in the first phase were explored by venturing into other related fields, e.g. psychology and sociology. Findings The study highlights four strategies used by organizations using normative control, i.e. comfort zoning, relational bonding, moral trapping and elitist appeal. These strategies rely on attractive forces. These forces of attraction pull employees to participate in the normative control system. The attractive element in the identified strategies is due to the fact that these strategies target specific agential properties, i.e. the need for comfort, sense of belonging, moral agency and pride. Overall, the findings suggest that individuals drive their concerns from culture but in relation to their capacity as needy beings for being enculturated. Practical implications Theoretically, this study adds conceptual strength to the explanations of normative control. It is suggested that neglect of human agency renders explanations conceptually weak. The study fills this gap in the research. Practically, this study would be beneficial for better design and implementation of normative control. Several studies have pointed out that normative control does not yield the intended results. Out of many reasons, a lack of understanding of human agency is a major cause of unsuccessful attempts to normatively control employees. This study provides some basis to understand the human subject for better design of soft systems of control. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first research study that explores agential properties with reference to normative control systems. This study is important for researchers and practitioners.

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Critical realism: what you should know and how to apply it

Cited by 27 publications

References 43 publications

Better than scrolling: Digital detox in the search for the ideal self.

Better than scrolling: Digital detox in the search for the ideal self.

“Recovery activities are needed every step of the way”—exploring the process of long-term recovery in people previously diagnosed with exhaustion disorder

Agential explanations: how employee participation is enhanced in normatively controlled organizations?

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