Es posible, pero depende de lo que quieras específicamente medir de lo cognitivo, la muestra, el diseño, los objetivos y hallazgos esperados.

Hola Magda

Muchas gracias por su respuesta! Podria darme un ejemplo mas especifico por favor? Estoy interesada en la fenomenologia de los procesos cognitivos o sea de la experiencia de ambos: la mia para poder comprender mejor lo que voy a medir y de los participiantes. Danza es una experiencia somatica y lo suyo seria investigarla 'desde dentro'. Por otro lado la investigacion quantitativa ofrece medidas concretas del proceso.

It certainly is possible to use participant observation in mixed methods, but it is rare due to the amount of time and effort involved in participant observation.

The question I would have, however, is how you plan to integrate the results of participant observation and standardized testing. All too often, people choose mixed methods because each of the methods is relevant to the research question, without considering how the results of the two separate studies will be combined.

Dear David

Thanks so much for this reply! Your question is addressing the whole point of my study! As my background is in two areas, i.e arts practitioner(dance) and science, one would not exclude the other: quite the opposite is the case: when examining choreographic processes from the point of view of grounded or embodied cognition, participation in the choreographic process would facilitate the integration of the findings! For example, reporting the findings from an EEG experiment regarding the sensory systems that are activated during the use of sensory stimuli would provide perhaps reliable information regarding the systems in the brains of the participants but my rationale would be better supported if I have direct experience of these systems through my participation in the dance/improvisation work (that is not only with my head)! There are still only few researchers who have really moved towards bridging the dichotomy between designs but it is high time we did it at least for disciplines that examine conscious human movement(sports, arts etc).

It still sounds like two separate sets of results to me. The point is not that you a theory (or experience) that points to two sets of results, but rather whether you have an empirical basis for connecting them to each other.

Yes, indeed they are. But I will try to avoid 'hard' quantitatIve methods. The EEG I mentioned was an example, it won't be used in this project. It is a quite new territory with regard to the arts and this is why I asked this question. I am looking for studies that have done it in similar areas..

Yes, but it really depends on the project. You might find the work within Science and Technology studies useful -there's a fair bit that looks at innovation and creativeness as well as art and design (Ed uni has a good unit).

The main issue that I'd have is the unit of method and analysis. For example, if you are giving out psychometric tests, the whole issue of participant-observer in this testing continues. If it is a PhD project then you have time to sort out how you make sense of the epistemology issues, but if it is a paid project or a postdoc then I'd say framing it as a two part project -quant and a qual stand, would be more useful.

Good luck!

From my perspective, there's no reason not to use observations in a mixed-method study. Qualitative researchers, who use triangulation will often use interviews, observations, and another data collection source. I did that when I studied the knowledge base of critical care nurses. I interviewed the nurses, watched them take care of patients, and analyzed their nursing notes. I could easily have given them a quantitative test.

You just need to tie the data collection methods. If you have a theory of creativity from which a test or survey is developed, look at what you could observe watching the dancers and/or choreographers. If you use the Torrance test of creativity, for example, one of the abilities they test is the ability to come up with multiple ways of doing something. How many different ways can you use a paper clip? is a favorite. I'm assuming your choreographers' process through different ways of doing a dance. That would show up on a creativity test and you could observe it in action.

Good luck with this study. Sound very interesting

You can use any test that has good reliability and validity. You just need to match up the constructs in the test with what you are observing.

Thanks very much!

I just thought of something else. There's a technique called Thinking Out Loud. You basically ask subjects when they are performing a task to talk about their thought processes. Maybe work for you? Here's a reference. Article What Is Going Through Your Mind? Thinking Aloud as a Method ...

Many thanks Ingrit!

It is for a Phd proposal, hopefully it will be possible to have both methods.