"Positionality & Research: How our Identities Shape Inquiry"

Summary

In this UCLA Library WI+RE tutorial, the creative design team explores the impact of social identities on the research process. They discuss how factors like educational background, race, ethnicity, and gender influence the way we search for information and evaluate resources. The concept of 'positionality' is introduced, highlighting the unique insights and biases that researchers bring to their work. The video emphasizes the importance of recognizing these biases to ensure a more inclusive and comprehensive research approach.

Takeaways

• 🔍 The research process is often viewed externally, focusing on actions like lab work or database searches, but internal factors like social identities also play a significant role.
• 🧩 Social identities encompass educational background, race, ethnicity, language, gender, sexual orientation, and geographic location, influencing information seeking and evaluation.
• 🌐 Positionality is the term researchers use to describe how our identities, experiences, and perspectives intersect with our research, providing unique insights and biases.
• 🤔 Positionality can bias our research by affecting which resources we choose, our criteria for 'good' sources, and how we present our findings.
• 🚫 The notion of research being neutral or objective is challenged; acknowledging our inherent biases is crucial for ethical research practice.
• 🤝 Awareness of our biases is key to ensuring inclusivity in research and avoiding assumptions about experiences different from our own.
• 💡 The goal is not to eliminate bias but to recognize and manage it, ensuring a more comprehensive and fair research approach.
• 🤗 It's okay to have biases; what matters is being conscious of how they might impact our research and taking steps to mitigate their influence.
• 📚 The WI+RE creative design team at UCLA Library emphasizes the importance of understanding and reflecting on one's positionality in the research process.
• 💭 Reflecting on our identities is encouraged to better understand how they might shape our research perspectives and choices.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the tutorial presented by the WI+RE creative design team?

The main focus of the tutorial is to explore the relationship between social identities and the research process.

What are some external aspects of research that are commonly highlighted?

Commonly highlighted external aspects of research include working in a lab, conducting in-depth interviews, and searching through library databases.

What are internal factors that influence the research process according to the script?

Internal factors that influence the research process include social identities such as educational background, race and/or ethnicity, first language, gender, sexual orientation, and geographic location.

What is meant by the term 'positionality' in the context of research?

Positionality refers to the interconnection between place, identities, self-understanding, and relations to people, which brings unique insights and biases into the research process.

How does positionality affect the research journey?

Positionality affects the research journey by influencing which resources are selected or not, shaping criteria for determining 'good' sources, and affecting how research is presented or articulated.

Why is it important to be aware of our biases in research?

Being aware of our biases is important to ensure that we do not overlook certain voices in our research and to avoid making assumptions about experiences that are not our own.

What is the stance on research being a neutral or objective process according to the script?

The script acknowledges that research can never achieve full neutrality or objectivity due to the inherent biases we carry from our experiences and identities.

What is the goal regarding biases in research as mentioned in the script?

The goal is to be aware of how and where our biases are at play in our research to ensure a more inclusive and less assumptive approach.

What does the script suggest we do before moving on to strategies for mindful research?

The script suggests spending time reflecting on the identities that make up our positionality before moving on to strategies for mindful research.

How do social identities given meaning and social influence by societies affect research?

Social identities affect research by influencing where we search for information, how we evaluate resources, and what information we produce, thus impacting the research process and outcomes.

What role do experiences and perspectives play in the research process as per the script?

Experiences and perspectives, influenced by positionality, provide unique insights but also introduce biases that can shape the selection of resources and the criteria for evaluating sources in the research process.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 Introduction to Social Identities and Research

The video script introduces the WI+RE creative design team from the UCLA Library, consisting of Renee, Sylvia, Kian, and Chris. They aim to explore the relationship between social identities and the research process. The script challenges the traditional view of research by highlighting not only the external aspects like lab work or database searches but also the internal factors such as social identities that influence information seeking, evaluation, and production. These identities include educational background, race, ethnicity, language, gender, sexual orientation, and geographic location, which are shaped by societal meanings and affect interactions and perceptions. The concept of positionality is introduced, which encompasses experiences and perspectives that offer unique insights but also introduce biases in research. The script acknowledges that full neutrality in research is unattainable due to the inherent biases from our identities and experiences, and the importance of being aware of these biases to avoid overlooking certain voices or making assumptions about unfamiliar experiences is emphasized.

Keywords

💡Social Identities

Social identities refer to the aspects of an individual's background and characteristics that are socially constructed and recognized, such as race, ethnicity, gender, and geographic location. In the context of the video, these identities are highlighted as internal factors that influence the research process, including where one searches for information and how one evaluates resources. The video emphasizes that these identities are not just personal but are given meaning and social influence by the societies we live in, which in turn affects our interactions and how we are perceived by others.

💡Research Process

The research process is the systematic approach to investigating a topic or question in order to discover, interpret, and present information. The video script discusses how the research process is often depicted with an emphasis on external aspects like lab work or database searches. However, it also points out that internal factors, such as social identities, play a significant role in shaping the research process, from the selection of resources to the production of new information.

💡Positionality

Positionality in research refers to the concept that a researcher's social identities and their location within social structures influence their perspectives and experiences, which in turn affect their research. Sylvia in the script explains that positionality encompasses the interconnection between one's place in society, identities, self-understanding, and relationships with others. It provides unique insights but also introduces biases that can influence which resources are selected and how research is presented.

💡Bias

Bias in the context of research refers to the preconceived opinions or preferences that can unconsciously affect the way researchers approach their work. The video acknowledges that biases are inherent due to our social identities and experiences. It is important for researchers to be aware of these biases to ensure that they do not overlook certain perspectives or make assumptions about experiences that are not their own.

💡Neutrality and Objectivity

Neutrality and objectivity are ideals in research where the goal is to conduct investigations without personal feelings or biases influencing the outcome. Renee in the script challenges the notion that research can be entirely neutral or objective, arguing that researchers always carry their experiences and identities, which come with biases. The video encourages researchers to be aware of these biases to maintain the integrity of their research.

💡Awareness

Awareness, in the context of the video, is the conscious recognition of one's own biases and how they may impact the research process. The video stresses the importance of being aware of one's positionality and the biases that come with it, as this awareness can help researchers to ensure a more inclusive and comprehensive approach to their work.

💡Resources

Resources in research refer to the materials and information that are used in the process of investigation. The video script discusses how a researcher's social identities and positionality can influence the selection of resources, determining which sources are considered 'good' and which are not. This selection process is a critical aspect of the research process that is shaped by the researcher's biases.

💡Criteria

Criteria in research are the standards or principles used to make judgments or decisions. The video highlights how a researcher's positionality can shape their criteria for evaluating resources, which can lead to biases in what is considered valuable or reliable information. Being aware of these criteria and how they are influenced by one's social identities is crucial for maintaining objectivity in research.

💡Presentation

Presentation in the context of research refers to how findings are communicated or displayed. The video script suggests that a researcher's social identities can affect the way they choose to present their research, which can include the language used, the perspectives highlighted, and the overall narrative of the findings. This aspect of research is influenced by the researcher's positionality and biases.

💡Reflection

Reflection is the act of thinking deeply about one's experiences, feelings, and thoughts. In the video, Renee encourages researchers to spend time reflecting on the identities that make up their positionality. This self-reflection is essential for understanding how one's social identities may influence the research process and for developing strategies to mitigate potential biases.

💡Strategies

Strategies in the context of the video refer to the methods or approaches that researchers can use to remain mindful of their positionality and biases. Although not explicitly detailed in the script, the mention of strategies implies that there are proactive steps researchers can take to ensure that their social identities do not unduly influence their research. These strategies could include diversifying the sources of information, seeking peer review, or employing critical thinking techniques.

Highlights

Introduction of the WI+RE creative design team from UCLA Library.

Exploration of the relationship between social identities and research.

Discussion on the external aspects of the research process, such as lab work and library database searches.

Introduction of internal factors that influence research, referred to as social identities.

Listing of social identities including educational background, race, ethnicity, language, gender, and location.

Explanation of how social identities are given meaning by societies and affect interactions.

Definition of positionality as the interconnection between place, identities, self-understanding, and relations to people.

Discussion on how positionality brings unique insights and biases into the research process.

Acknowledgment that research cannot be fully neutral or objective due to inherent biases.

Emphasis on the importance of being aware of biases to avoid overlooking certain voices or making assumptions.

Introduction of strategies to remain mindful of positionality in research.

Encouragement to reflect on the identities that constitute one's positionality.

The impact of social identities on where we search for information and how we evaluate resources.

How social identities influence the information we produce and present in research.

The role of experiences and perspectives in shaping research criteria and selection of resources.

The goal of understanding biases to ensure inclusive research and avoid making unfounded assumptions.

The necessity of recognizing that our research is always influenced by our social identities and experiences.

Transcripts

RENEE: Hi, I'm Renee!

SYLVIA: I'm Sylvia!

KIAN: I'm Kian!

CHRIS: And I'm Chris!

RENEE: We're from the WI+RE creative design team at the UCLA Library, and in this tutorial,

we'll explore the relationship between our social identities and research.

So, what comes  to mind when you think of the research process?

What does your research process look like?

When the research process is being referred to or illustrated, the external aspects of  research are usually highlighted.

You might have imagined one of these aspects: working  in a lab,

conducting an in-depth interview, or searching through a library database.

While these are the more well-known parts of research,

there are also the internal factors that influence where we search for information,

how we evaluate the resources we find, and what information we produce ourselves.

We often refer to these factors as our social identities,  which can include our educational background,  

race and/or ethnicity, our first language,  gender, sexual orientation, geographic location,  

and more. These identities are given meaning and  social influence by the societies we live in and  

they affect how we interact with other people and  how other people see us.

SYLVIA: Researchers refer to this interconnection between place, identities,  self-understanding, and relations to people  

as positionality. Our positionality comes with experiences and perspectives that afford us unique insights that we bring into the research process.

These experiences and perspectives also bias us in the research  journey by influencing which resources we do  

or don't select, shaping our criteria for  determining what "counts" as a "good" source,  

and affecting how we choose to present or articulate our own research.

RENEE: We often hear that research should be a neutral or objective  process. The reality is that we can never  

achieve full neutrality or objectivity. We'll  always carry these experiences and identities  

as well as the biases they come with--

and this is okay! The goal is to be aware of how and where our biases are at play in our research

so  we can make sure we're not overlooking certain voices for our research or make assumptions

about experiences that are not our own.

Before moving on to strategies that help us remain mindful of our positionality and research,  

let's spend some time reflecting on the  identities that make up our positionality.