A different starting point
Developed in Britain from the late 1980s, notably by Jonathan Potter, Margaret Wetherell and Derek Edwards, the approach challenged the assumption that attitudes are stable internal objects. When someone expresses an opinion, they may also be justifying themselves, managing blame or positioning themselves in a conversation.
How researchers work
Discursive psychologists often analyse naturally occurring talk such as phone calls, counselling sessions or interviews, using detailed transcripts. They look at how accounts are built to seem factual, and how terms like 'remember' or 'upset' are used to do interactional work between speakers.
Strengths and criticisms
The approach reveals subtle features of social life, and it encourages caution in reading survey answers as straightforward reports. Critics say it can neglect the inner experiences and material conditions that shape what people say, and that its findings are hard to generalise. Supporters respond that generalisation is not the only goal of research.
Further reading
- Potter, J., & Wetherell, M. (1987). Discourse and social psychology: Beyond attitudes and behaviour. Sage.
- Edwards, D., & Potter, J. (1992). Discursive psychology. Sage.