A method and style of ethnographic description that records not just observable physical behavior but the layered social context and meanings the people performing it attach to it, so that an outsider can grasp what an act signifies to its own participants rather than only what it looks like.
Facts
Core ClaimSourced to the subject's own accountA thin description records only the observable movement of an act; a thick description adds the socially learned meanings the actors themselves give it, the same distinction Gilbert Ryle drew between a rapid contraction of an eyelid and a genuine wink, and this added layer of subjective explanation is what makes ethnographic data valuable to other social scientists. 1 Origin YearSourced to the subject's own accountThe term itself originates with philosopher Gilbert Ryle; Geertz developed the anthropological sense the term is known by today in his 1973 book The Interpretation of Cultures. Cross-Tradition Connections
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Thick Description
WikipediaOpening definition, descriptionQuote, Opening definition, description
A thick description is a description of human social action that describes not just physical behaviors, but their context as interpreted by the actors as well, so that it can be better understood by an outsider.
1. Wikipedia: Thick Description
WikipediaCore claim section, meaning versus behaviorQuote, Core claim section, meaning versus behavior
A thick description typically adds a record of subjective explanations and meanings provided by the people engaged in the behaviors, making the collected data of greater value for studies by other social scientists.
1. Wikipedia: Thick Description
WikipediaAttribution section, origin yearQuote, Attribution section, origin year
The term was first introduced by 20th-century philosopher Gilbert Ryle. However, the predominant sense in which it is used today was developed by anthropologist Clifford Geertz in his book The Interpretation of Cultures (1973).
1. Wikipedia: Thick Description
WikipediaAttribution section, developed-by edgeQuote, Attribution section, developed-by edge
The predominant sense in which it is used today was developed by anthropologist Clifford Geertz in his book The Interpretation of Cultures (1973).
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