Visualized relationships (ViRe) - functions and problems. A repertoire-oriented investigation of visual and image-related communication among couples and friends in Switzerland

21 couple relationships and 9 friendships (60 people) from eleven different Swiss cantons in all three major language regions (German-speaking, Italian-speaking, French-speaking Switzerland).

Participants were selected using a selective sampling approach.

Within the semi-structured interviews, participants collaboratively created network drawings which helped outline their communication repertoire and fostered discussion during the interview. In addition, visual elicitation (with network drawings and photo elicitation) was used for gathering visual data as well as deepening verbal narration. Participants were asked to bring 3-5 meaningful or typical pictures prior to the first interview and show further visual data during all interviews. Finally, as additional prompts, verbal statements were used to approach sensitive topics.

Due to the emergence of COVID-19, we conducted online surveys (24 participants) and video-call interviews (14 participants)

Participants who had already completed at least the first interview were recontacted.

The same creative visual methods (i.e., visual elicitation, network drawings) were used during video-call interviews as a familiar entry to the interview situation.