Benefits and challenges of qualitative methodologies in cross-cultural psychology studies

Abstract

Qualitative research has been considered increasingly valuable for cross-cultural psychology studies, but its contributions and challenges to the field remain under discussed. This chapter does that by analysing a qualitative study which compares interpretive beliefs and behaviour of street-level workers from health, social, and law enforcement sectors working with policies for crack cocaine and heroin in the cities of Amsterdam, Netherlands, and Porto Alegre, Brazil. Challenges and contributions for the use of qualitative methodologies in cross-cultural studies were found in different research stages. Challenges were centred on how to balance empirical closure and analytical distance. Benefits relate to a wider variation in responses and a more contextual level of experiences, allowing for more grounded theorization.