Transcript Word - Kurs

Methodological Reflections
(Primarily) From a Psychological Perspective
Hans-Werner Wahl & Frank Oswald
Institute of Psychology, Department of Psychology Aging
Research, University of Heidelberg
Presentation on Workshop at CASE in Lund
April 10-11, 2008
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Ambition and Goal of Presentation
 Yesterday, I have made an argument for a holistic, process
oriented perspective to be taken on p-e systems in a lifespan perspective
 Today, I will ask for some of the methodological
consequences of such a view
 I will do this in a highly pragmatic and workshop-like
manner for the sake of our discussion, that is, I will not go
into philosophy of science issues, when it comes to the
question “What can we know?”, on the one hand, but I will
also not address the technical level of any of the
methodological avenues put forward, on the other hand
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Ambition and Goal of Presentation
 My major goal with this presentation is
 to reflect upon environmental gerontology as a field in need
of a strong methodology background and an ongoing
methodology discussion
 which however takes place only in a rather limited and in
our opinion not strong enough manner
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Ambition and Goal of Presentation
 Questions such as
- What are good environmental gerontology methods?
- What is our gold standard in environmental gerontology?
- What are more or less promising mixes of methods?
 are seldom treated in any systematic manner in the
literature and this possibly tells us something about
environmental gerontology in itself
 Such reasoning is of course also related to one of the
classic tensions to be felt in environmental gerontology,
that is between pure research and application
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Ambition and Goal of Presentation
 A fundamental starting point in this context is that the use of
scientific methods in any scientific area generally should be
conceptually driven and research question (evidence) driven
 Research methods never have a sense in themselves, no
matter how simple or complex they might be
 A discussion of methods should not be reduced on the
common “qualitative-versus-quantitative” debate
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Outline
1. Some general observations on the methodology tradition
of environmental gerontology
2. Some fundamental methodology challenges of
environmental gerontology
3. Wide scope of P-E methods as a potential and constraint
4. A closer look at some key areas of environmental
gerontology and respective data collection strategies
5. From classic to new challenges – some examples
6. Conclusions
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Some General Observations On the Methodology Tradition of
Environmental Gerontology
 A rigorous method tradition is lacking to a major extent in
environmental gerontology (compared with other disciplines)
 What does this mean?
 Basically it has in our view to do with the multi-disciplinary
approach of the environmental gerontology perspective
 Huge method variability from research question to research
question and from project to project
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Some General Observations On the Methodology Tradition of
Environmental Gerontology
 Constructs are used in many instances side-by-side without
much conceptual networking and integration
 There is not much research to treat the question of construct
overlap (which of course is a major methodological issue)
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Some General Observations On the Methodology Tradition of
Environmental Gerontology
 There is not much of a tradition of p-e methodology
treatment in the literature (notable exception: Laura Gitlin,
for example  Gitlin, L. 2006, Physical function in older
adults. A comprehensive guide to its meaning and
measurement. Austin: Pro-ed)
 See also handbook chapters, see EDRA conference
volumes, see other treatments of environmental
gerontology
 Most of method-related argumentation in the environmental
gerontology literature typically remains on a rather general,
not to say superficial level
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Some General Observations On the Methodology Tradition of
Environmental Gerontology
 There is in many disciplines (such as cognitive aging
research; functional assessment literature in geriatric
medicine) a fundamental security what a certain method
can …
 And what its potential and limits are and how the data it
generates are operating in the context of other data
 This is – as far as we can see – still a rare case in
environmental gerontology
 There is still a rather strong methodological insecurity in
the field of environmental gerontology
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Some General Observations On the Methodology Tradition of
Environmental Gerontology
 Moreover, at least from a psychological perspective,
sometimes we should be aware of past discussions on
methodology, held in times long before we had modern
equipment, such as rapid computer processors, huge data
storage capacity, or structural equation modeling
 There might be some hidden (interdisciplinary) gems in the
literature, still stimulating for us today and preventing us
from the reinvention of the wheel
 Additional efforts of digging in the material and literature
already available is possibly highly promising
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Some General Observations On the Methodology Tradition of
Environmental Gerontology
 There are nevertheless “highlights” here and there, when it
comes to some methods (e.g., objective personenvironment interlinkages  Housing Enabler  research
of Prof. Susanne Iwarsson)
 Any organized p-e approach should put major emphasis on
the development and refinement of methods
 This applies then also to CASE…
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Some Fundamental Methodology Challenges of Environmental
Gerontology
Environmental Gerontology:
“The overarching aim of environmental gerontology is to
describe, explain, and modify / optimize the relationship
between the aging person and his/her socio-physical
environment, a task accomplished within an
interdisciplinary framework.”
(Wahl & Gitlin, 2007, p. 494)
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Some Fundamental Methodology Challenges of Environmental
Gerontology
Research Aim
Research Question
Description
Open ended
Explanation (incl. Prediction)
Hypothesis driven
Modification (incl. Intervention) Comparative
Method
Application
?
Basic research
Practice
What is a P-E method?
 P-E methods are all means able to accomplish these tasks
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Some Fundamental Methodology Challenges of Environmental
Gerontology
P-e methods (of course) contain non-specific elements:

Relationships between theories, empirical evidence, research
questions and method

Philosophy behind the methods (e.g., Probabilistic Test Theory,
Grounded Theory, …)

Use of methods in the scientific process
o
o

Impact on study design, on data assessment, on data analyses
Impact on type of findings, on data interpretation
Proof and adaptation of methods
o
o
o
Issues of reliability
Issues of validity
…
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Some Fundamental Methodology Challenges of Environmental
Gerontology
P-e methods contain specific elements:
 Interchange dynamic between two omnibus entities, i.e., the person
and the environment
 This would mean in principal terms that we should have a good
conceptual idea of which components of both of these omnibus
entities are our target and for which conceptual reason
 What is the subject of interest, P, E, or PxE? (e.g., in SenTra
geographers are interested in trips, not in individuals)
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Some Fundamental Methodology Challenges of Environmental
Gerontology
P-e methods contain specific elements:
 Kind of environment we mean here is typically the physical
environment, but on a variety of levels (micro, meso, macro); this does
not include linkages with other spheres, i.e. the social and cultural.
However, we need to keep in mind other potential types of
classification, such as man-made versus non man-made, indoors
versus outdoors etc. Besides, other qualities of the physical
environment might serve to classify the E: basic physical conditions
(weather, lighting, temperature, altitude, air, smell, sound, …), size and
extension, order, content, …
 When it comes to the person, we typically are interested in those
contents and measures able to link the person with the environment,
that is visible behavior ( observation) and invisible cognitive /
emotional representation, i.e. thinking and feeling ( introspection)
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Some Fundamental Methodology Challenges of Environmental
Gerontology
Are there additional specifics of p-e methods, when it
comes to aging?
Person:
- Functional loss (mobility, sensory), cognitive loss (dementia),
- Changed fundamental motivational tendencies also relevant to the understanding
of p-e systems
- Reduced remaining time to live
- Long term adaptional and compensational efforts to come to terms with personenvironment constellations
- Accumulation of environmental experiences over time (i.e. the collection of places
in our head increases, at least during normal aging)
- In very old age: fears of specific environments (barriers) and basic fear of
institutionalization
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Some Fundamental Methodology Challenges of Environmental
Gerontology
Environment:
- Tends to be not completely modern in terms of what is possible on the basic
standard level (home environment)
- In contrast: often we have so called “double aging”, i.e. the individual ages as the
environment gets more and more outdated at the same time
- Tends to be barrier-free more often, at best in a universal design way, i.e. not to be
stereotyping the aged at the same time
- Has dramatically changed over the years (such as outdoor environments in urban
areas; technology), while people have aged  however, there are pros and cons of
this: e.g. when using a car, a phone, a tram…
- Has gained new meanings and variations (new living arrangement options while
simultaneously making later life more difficult in terms of lost orientation on (ever?)
existing standards of good environments for all older adults
 only to show in which complexity we are imposing our methodological
approaches and what potential and limitations are coming with this
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Some Fundamental Methodology Challenges of Environmental
Gerontology
Having said this, three basic questions are fundamental (and of
course theory and research question related):
1. What is our P measurement target?







Variation of behavior (observable) / perception (introspection)
Body extensions (weight, size, prothetics, …)
Young / old / very old (age)
Mobile / immobile
Independent / dependent (in daily life)
Healthy / Impaired (cognitive, physical)
(…)
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Some Fundamental Methodology Challenges of Environmental
Gerontology
2. What is our E measurement target?







Micro / meso / macro (from small-scale things to large-scale cultures)
Man-made / non-man-made
Indoor / outdoor
Stable / changing
Urban / rural
Low tech / high tech
(…)
3. What types of P x E can be addressed and need to be measured?
 (…)
 (…)
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Wide Scope of P-E Methods as a Potential and Constraint
Some basics
 There is no logical link of the fundamental tasks of description,
explanation and modification to any p-e method, that is, an argument
has be build in any single case, why a method or a set of methods is
chosen
 Consider the bandwidth of areas involved in environmental
gerontology and in CASE: role of home environment, the issue of
outdoor mobility, issues of gerontechnology / assistive devices
research 
 Make a case for a multimethod / multidiscipline approach ( but
nevertheless do this with scientific coherence and a straightforward
concept of method combination)  “controlled pluralism”, not in the
sense of “anything goes”, but in the sense of a diversity of methods
to be considered to address the many dimensions of the personenvironment system as people age
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Wide Scope of P-E Methods as a Potential and Constraint
Some basics
 Make the disciplinary step before you make the interdisciplinary step
(e.g., psychologists have a tradition to measuring introspection,
geographers are good in outdoor mapping, OT’s are good in
assessing activity)
 CASE really is in a position to exert and further such meta-method
argumentation and to substantially serve the field with this
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Wide Scope of P-E Methods as a Potential and Constraint
Bandwidth of Assessment of Person-environment Relations
 Quantitative – structured (to measure P as well as E, as well
as PxE!)
 Qualitative – semi-structured (to mainly measure perceived
PxE, i.e. to measure P!)
 Controlled data / experiment / manipulation of p-e- system
(behavioral observation)
 Non-reactive / naturally occurring data (behavioral
observation)
 Secondary data analysis and meta-analysis
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
A Closer Look at Some Key Areas of Environmental Gerontology
and Respective Data Collection Strategies
Assessment of Objective P-E Relations
 Example 1: Home environment
- Checklists and the Housing Enabler  ENABLE-AGE
- Additional thoughts (observation, catching the dynamics etc.)
- Multi-level approach needed
 Example 2: Out-of-home environment
- Tracking methodology – our approach in SenTra
- Geo-mapping
- Additional thoughts (again: observation, catching the dynamics
etc.)
- Multi-level approach needed
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
A Closer Look at Some Key Areas of Environmental Gerontology
and Respective Data Collection Strategies
Assessment of Subjective P-E Relations
 Evaluation (introspection)
- Goals / aims (questionnaires, semi-structured, focus groups, …)
- Preferences (questionnaires, semi-structured, …)
- Habits, routines (diaries, …)
- Fears, feelings (questionnaire, …)
- Cognitive representation (insideness, embodiment,  exploration)
 Some of the challenges (variability, bias toward positive)
 Learning more about the interaction / overlap of constructs
 see Oswald et al. (2006), Journal of Environmental Psychology
 The importance of going qualitative
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
A Closer Look at Some Key Areas of Environmental Gerontology
and Respective Data Collection Strategies
Environmental Change and Optimization
 Needs assessment
 Controlled intervention research
 Other options: action research and user involvement
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
From Classic to New Challenges – Some Examples
Research Design Issues (some examples)
 Process: short versus long-term designs
 Why not more experiments / natural and by design?
 Future workshops, expert workshops, etc.
 Cross-country / -cultural issues
 Cross setting variation (e.g. institutions)
 Development of new measures
 Validation of measures (important!!! e.g. tracking, see SenTra)
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
From Classic to New Challenges – Some Examples
Combination of Methods
 What are generally good rules here?
 The quantitative / qualitative combination argument
 Different levels of analysis (micro, meso, macro) need
different methods
 Statistical and publication-related implications
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
From Classic to New Challenges – Some Examples
New Potential in Bridge-building with Cutting-edge Areas of
Future Aging Research and Application
Three examples (fancy but nevertheless promising):
 Building bridges to neuroscience (e.g., the issue of
environmental stimulation) and respective methods
 Building bridges to technology and methods which built on
technology (e.g., tracking methodology; direct vital
parameter check related to various environments)
 Building bridges to health economics and respective
methods
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Conclusions
 There is a need to nurture more strongly a culture of
methodology discussion in environmental gerontology
 There is a need to invest more into a systematic attempt in
this direction, i.e., a rationale to organize the field in a
coherent way
 There is a need to go for new and (possibly) risky and
unknown areas and interlinkages
 There is a particularly strong role of involving young
scholars in such processes
 CASE (research center + graduate school) can make a
strong case here!!!
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research
Thank you very much
for your attention!
Foto: © Reinhard Kemmether
University of Heidelberg – Institute of Psychology – Department of Psychological Ageing Research