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DISCUSSION PAPER
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QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF REPERTORY GRIDS:
INTERPRETIVE CLUSTERING
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Viv Burr and Nigel King
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Department of Psychology, University of Huddersfield, UK |
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Abstract
In this discussion paper, we present a new form of
qualitative analysis of repertory grid data that we have called ‘Interpretive
Clustering’. Although numerous existing publications report having performed
qualitative analyses of repertory grid data, upon inspection this is usually a
content analysis of constructs. In our research, used as an illustrative
example here, we explored people’s constructions of nature through images of outdoor
spaces using repertory grids. Through visual inspection we used patterns of
responses across constructs in each participant’s grid to identify construct ‘clusters’;
these clusters are therefore constituted by constructs that hold implications
for each other and are examples of ‘constellatory construing’. We would like to
invite comments from academics and practitioners on both the process and potential usefulness of Interpretive Clustering.
Key words: repertory grid, clustering, qualitative analysis, interpretive analysis
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About the authors
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 Viv Burr is Professor of Critical
Psychology at the University of Huddersfield, UK. She is principally known for
her book ‘Social Constructionism’ (3rd edition 2015) but also has also published
widely in the field of Personal Construct Psychology and is author of ‘Invitation
to Personal Construct Psychology’ (2nd edition 2004, with Trevor Butt.) She is
especially interested in the potential of PCP methods for qualitative
researchers, and her previous research has applied these methods to topics such
as developing reflexivity in social work students (with Nigel King) and
exploring cross-cultural perceptions (with Trevor Butt and Massimo
Giliberto). With Nigel King, she is
currently engaged in a qualitative research project using PCP methods to explore
how people construe a range of natural and urban environments.
Contact: v.burr@hud.ac.uk
 Nigel King is Professor in Applied Psychology
at the University of Huddersfield, UK. He has a long-standing interest in
methods for applied qualitative research, and is well-known for his work on the
Template Analysis style of thematic analysis. More recently he has developed an
interest in the use of participant-led diagrams in qualitative interviewing,
including the Pictor technique which he developed with colleagues at Huddersfield.
He is author of 'Interviews in Qualitative Research' (with Christine Horrocks
and Jo Brooks; 2nd edn, Sage, 2018), and 'Template Analysis for Business and
Management Students' (with Jo Brooks; Sage, 2017).
Contact: n.king@hud.ac.uk
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Burr, V., King, N. (2019). Qualitative analysis of repertory grids:Interpretive clustering.
Personal Construct Theory & Practice, 16, 1-9
(Retrieved from http://www.pcp-net.org/journal/pctp19/burr19.pdf)
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