"Oh yes, I remember it well!" Reflections on Using the Life-Grid in Qualitative Interviews with Couples

Andrew J. Bell

doi:10.18778/1733-8077.1.1.04

Authors

Andrew J. Bell University of Edinburgh, UK

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/1733-8077.1.1.04

Keywords:

life-grid, retrospective data, qualitative interviewing, recall, couples, reflexivity

Abstract

The life-grid has previously been used as a tool for improving the reliability of retrospective data in epidemiology. Recent research has suggested that the life-grid may also prove a useful tool for qualitative sociological interviewing, by facilitating the asking of difficult questions and acting as an aide memoire. This paper describes a pilot study which examines the influences the life-grid has upon qualitative interviews with married couples. It finds that use of the life-grid limits interviewees’ willingness to revisit topics, tends to create “event-centred”, non-reflexive, data and does not facilitate the asking of difficult questions. This paper does find that the life-grid acts to stimulate recall, but in a limited, factual fashion. It concludes that the life-grid is unlikely to prove an appropriate tool for qualitative researchers in its present form.

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Author Biography

Andrew J. Bell, University of Edinburgh, UK

Andrew J. Bell (Ph.D. Student) is based at the University of Edinburgh. He is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and Care for the Family as part of the 'CASE studentship' funding scheme. His topic of thesis is "Staying Together: An Exploration of Longer Term Married Relationships". He is in his first year. He has previously attended the University of Edinburgh as an undergraduate, undertaken a research training Masters degree and has worked in the voluntary sector.

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