Methodological considerations for interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) in visual research: A practical guide to using collages

Relja, Ruffin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9569-6247 and Ward, Philippa ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4971-8908 (2025) Methodological considerations for interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) in visual research: A practical guide to using collages. Qualitative Research in Psychology. (In Press)

Text (Peer-reviewed version) 15654 Relja (2025) Methodological considerations for interpretative.pdf - Accepted Version Restricted to Repository staff only Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial 4.0. Download (496kB)

Abstract

Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) is one of the most established qualitative methods in UK psychology and is increasingly adopted by researchers worldwide. Its applicability spans multiple disciplines, underscoring IPA’s value as a versatile, widely applicable approach across the social sciences, including marketing. This methodological paper offers a practical guide to conducting multimodal IPA research incorporating visual methods by using the collage technique from a recent consumer study as an example. It addresses key paradigmatic and ethical considerations and offers a rigorous foundation for this novel qualitative inquiry format grounded in Gadamer’s hermeneutics. In doing so, we chiefly respond to a recent call to explore the potential of idiographic collages for articulating lived experiences, while also addressing broader demands for more robust, evidence-based IPA research. We demonstrate the advantages visual methods offer over traditional, interview-based IPA studies by enabling richer, more layered accounts of experience. Furthermore, by incorporating methodological insights from other fields such as marketing, law, and ethics, the paper enhances methodological thinking in psychology and related disciplines. We conclude that multimodal IPA research incorporating visual methods, such as collage, can balance the demands placed on researchers with the depth, richness, and surprising insights this approach can yield.

Item Type:	Article
Article Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	multimodal interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA); visual research; collage construction; projective techniques; Gadamer; hermeneutics
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > HF5001 Business > HF5410 Marketing
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > School of Business, Computing and Social Sciences
Depositing User:	Ruffin Relja
Date Deposited:	11 Dec 2025 09:46
Last Modified:	11 Dec 2025 10:00
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/15654

University Staff: Request a correction | Repository Editors: Update this record