PROJECTIVE RESEARCH: CHARACTERISTICS AND METHODOLOGY - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The projective research is a type of study that is to look for solutions to various problems, comprehensively analyzing all its aspects and proposing new actions to improve a situation in a practical and functional.

This type of research proposes models that generate solutions to specific needs of a social, organizational, environmental or a special area of ​​knowledge, with a view to the future of each context and through their situational analysis. The scientific method is applied from analysis to projection.

Projective research seeks to consider all the aspects that make up a problem or situation, in order to provide a global and effective response with a view to the future. Source: pixabay.com

Projective research is part of a set of exploratory forms of scientific inquiry that is aimed at obtaining new knowledge and its subsequent application, to solve practical problems or questions.

It is also known as a feasible project, because it tries to give answers to hypothetical future events through models or plans that serve to anticipate trends or, on the contrary, solve unknowns from the past through recent data.

This type of research is used in architectural design, software, group problem solving (organizational and social), educational and environmental projects, among others.

It differs from special projects because they do not include a prior study for their preparation; instead, projective research initially investigates the contexts and variables before designing a proposal.

They are often confused with projective techniques, but these are those used by psychologists to know the attitudes, intentions, impulses or motives of patients who have difficulty expressing their feelings and emotions consciously or unconsciously.

characteristics

Dynamic

It raises the events that happen in one or more periods, as well as the relationship between them.

Holistic

It integrates all the elements that occur in certain contexts for their interpretation and projection over time.

Creative

It allows to generate new proposals freely, analyzing all the scenarios.

Participatory

It involves all the actors in each of the parts of the investigative and planning process.

Transformative

Visualize and project actions towards specific objectives that can be developed in the future, changing a particular context.

Design plans and / or projects

The design of plans is done with the objective of improving a reality or a certain context.

Systematic

It raises processes and methods of inquiry, analysis, explanation and prediction when projecting the proposal or plan.

Proactive

It proposes new actions to change situations, with the aim of improving the environment and solving the problems and the functioning of the analyzed context.

Methodology

Within the framework of the scientific inquiry process, projective research requires a series of steps before proposing new actions to change the reality posed. These steps have to do with the exploratory, descriptive and analytical phases of the investigative process.

Within the field of research, the projective is one of the most complex; In this, each of the steps of the scientific method is applied very completely.

Below we will describe the characteristics of each of the phases that comprise the projective research process, in which strategies are always applied with the maximum methodological criteria.

Exploratory phase

In this first phase, studies prior to the theme or context to be developed are explored, with the idea of ​​observing the applied methodology, the contributions and scope, as well as the related theories and concepts.

The event or context to be modified, the problem encountered and the need for the projection to be raised are stated.

Descriptive phase

This section describes the current situations and needs for change in the different realities explored, and gives the arguments that justify the new project to be executed.

The objectives of the research -both general and specific- are set out to show the actions that will delimit the study and the project.

Comparative phase

It inquires about the causal elements (as well as other events) and compares them with the event to be modified.

Approximations and differences between the groups are determined. It also compares the various theories and concepts of the consulted authors, as well as preliminary studies.

Analytical phase

In this area, the interactions of the study subjects are examined in the light of the different theories, considering their interests, agreements, divergences or expectations.

Theories are ordered and considered chronologically and according to the context in which they were developed, to address the causal processes of the situation under study and the event to change or improve.

Explanatory phase

The different interpretations and explanations of the design, plan or program, both external and internal, are presented. The objective is to achieve the functional and practical improvement of the event to be modified.

Predictive phase

It proposes the feasibility of the project taking into account the evaluation of the limitations and difficulties encountered throughout its execution.

The different resources available for the execution of the project in the environment to be transformed are evaluated (financial, material, human and technological resources).

Depending on the data collected, both general and specific objectives are also adjusted. Finally, they are documented.

Projective phase

It focuses on the design of the project. Select the study units and operationalize the variables and diagnostic instruments.

Interactive phase

Apply the instruments and collect data on the reality under study, the event to change and the causal processes.

Confirmation phase

Analyze and conclude with a design, proposal or action plan. The elements that are considered within this design are the following:

- The description of the program, its specific statement and the events to be changed, specifying the type of project.

- The identification of recipients and persons in charge, through which the profile of each group of subjects who are involved in the program is described.

- The purpose of the program, which has to do with the specific objectives or achievements that are intended to be achieved with the plan or program.

- The theme and content, which refers to the areas of knowledge related to the actions to be carried out within the plan.

- The development of activities, where the actions to be carried out by areas or events of the program are described.

- Time; that is, the period of duration of each area or phase of the program. This is represented by a schedule.

- The locations. The geographic space is determined and the social and cultural contexts of the program or plan are identified.

- The means, which implies defining the different material, technological, human and technical resources essential for the implementation of the plan.

- Financial resources, a section that identifies which and how many are the economic resources and financial tools that allow the development of the project.

Evaluative phase

Show the scope of the project in the final document. Likewise, it recommends different actions for the executive or interactive phase of the event that is to be improved or changed.

References

1. "Research" (No date) on Wikipedia. Retrieved on July 30, 2019 from Wikipedia: wikipedia.org
2. "Projective Techniques" in MSG, Management study guide, (No date). Retrieved on July 30, 2019 from MSG, Management study guide: managementstudyguide.com
3. Hurtado, Jacqueline. "How to do projective research" (January 25, 2015) at Ciea Syepal. Retrieved on July 30, 2019 from Ciea Syepal: cieasypal.com
4. Marzano, R. "Art and Science of Teaching / Investigation-The New Research Report" in ASCD. Retrieved on July 31, 2019 from ASCD: ascd.org
5. "Types of science investigations" at Texas Gateway. Retrieved on July 31, 2019 from Texas Gateway: texasgateway.org