Phenomenology is a school of thought in philosophy that emphasises the study of lived experience. It was founded by Edmund Husserl in the early 20th century, and it has been influential in a variety of fields, including psychology, sociology, and anthropology.
In psychology, phenomenology is used to study the subjective experiences of individuals. This includes their thoughts, feelings, sensations, and perceptions. Phenomenologists believe that these experiences are not simply the product of the brain, but that they also have a meaning and structure that can be understood through careful study. There are a number of different approaches to phenomenological psychology. One approach is to focus on the description of lived experience. This involves using language to capture the essence of what it is like to experience something, such as the feeling of pain or the experience of love. Another approach is to focus on the interpretation of lived experience. This involves trying to understand the meaning of experiences, such as why someone might feel pain or what love means to them.
Phenomenological psychology has been criticized for being too subjective and for not being able to generate generalizable findings. However, it has also been praised for its focus on the individual's lived experience and for its ability to provide insights into the meaning of human experience.
Here are some of the key concepts in phenomenological psychology:
Intentionality: This is the idea that consciousness is always directed towards something. When we experience something, we are always experiencing it in relation to something else.
Epoché: This is the act of bracketing or suspending our assumptions about the world. This allows us to focus on the experience itself, without being influenced by our preconceived notions.
Hermeneutics: This is the art of interpretation. In phenomenological psychology, hermeneutics is used to understand the meaning of lived experience.
Phenomenological psychology is a challenging concept and process, but it can be a valuable tool for understanding human experience. It can help us to understand ourselves and others better, and it can help us to find meaning in our lives.
Phenomenology can be a tricky concept to get to grips with however, there are very few other frameworks that provide us with what phenomenology does. Phenomenology places a person’s lived experiences at its core and as such challenges some of the negative perceptions that subjectivity has within academia. This can be a useful framework for those interested in exploring how people interact with objects such as publications, packaging, apps, etc.
Some themes that could be explored using phenomenology are:
How can graphic design be adapted to better improve how people experience publications? For example, can graphic design improve the experience of reading magazines?
Using particular products (such as digital products or cleaning products) can be experiential. How can graphic design be used to improve the user experience of consumer products?
How do designers know how an audience member or a user will react to or experience their designs? What methods can a designer use to get a more accurate sense of this experience?