Appreciative inquiry as a mode of action research for community psychology

Abstract

Abstract In this article, the authors highlight the potential for rethinking approaches to community and social change interventions that draw on participatory action research at the organizational and community level. They distinguish problem‐centric from opportunity‐centric approaches to social change. Theory on social norms suggests that problem‐centric approaches work with the momentum of norms without substantively changing them. By contrast, opportunity‐centric approaches have the potential to reframe and dramatically shift organizational and community norms. Appreciative inquiry (AI), a growing practice in organization development, is presented as an example of opportunity‐centric change that induces innovation and collaboration through participatory methods. It is distinct from other methods that focus on resolving problems in organizations. The authors illustrate how an AI Summit, a large‐scale inquiry designed with four phases: Discover, Dream, Design, and Destiny, can assist in an opportunity‐centric process. They conclude by describing how opportunity‐centric methodologies like AI fit well with the tenets and concerns of community psychologists. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 35: 1019–1036, 2007.