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

Ref. 14101

Methods

Method description

The project was based on semi-structured in-depth pair and individual interviews with 30 couple relationship and friendship dyads in Switzerland. Additionally, online surveys and video-call interviews were conducted during the first wave of Covid-19 in Switzerland. Creative visual methods were used in all interviews, such as participatory and collaborative network drawings and visual elicitation. Participants were asked to bring 3-5 meaningful or typical pictures of their couple relationship/friendship to the pair interview. In addition, verbal prompts were used in the individual interviews to foster discussion about sensitive topics.

Method (instruments)

Population, unit of observation

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).

Participant selection or sampling method (census, random sampling, other sampling method (specify))

Participants were selected using a selective sampling approach.

Other significant comments

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.

Other method instrument

Online surveys and video-call interviews

Population, unit of observation

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

Participant selection or sampling method (census, random sampling, other sampling method (specify))

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

Other significant comments

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.