Hermeneutic Phenomenology as a Research Method in Psychology: Socio-Historical Ways of Being

Abstract

Abstract This article is based on a narrative literature review to explore Hermeneutic Phenomenology as a methodology for qualitative empirical research in Psychology. Grounded on the works of philosophers such as Schleiermacher, Dilthey, Heidegger and Gadamer, the method emphasizes the understanding of socio-historically situated human experience. The article discusses the origin of Hermeneutic Phenomenology and its contributions to Psychology, addressing the importance of cultural and historical interpretation in research. The method involves interviews, transcription and analysis of experiences, highlighting the influence of the researchers’ preconceptions and the provisional nature of the results. Research examples illustrate practical application of the method, such as the experience of being a university student in contemporary times, a homeless person, a woman in contemporary Brazil, or of controlling relationships. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of openness and dialogue in research, promoting new understandings of lived reality and ways of being.