Young People's Constructions of Self: Notes on the Use and Analysis of the Photo‐Elicitation Methods

TLDR

The study investigates how photo‑elicitation methods are used to explore young consumers’ identities. Participants photographed consumer items important to them, and these images were used as interview prompts to examine how visual features shape the construction of identity. Participants used photographs to strengthen identity claims while verbalizing to contextualise them, revealing that photo interviews enable disclosure of hidden identity aspects and are valuable for studying contested identity positions.

Abstract

The article examines the use of photo‐elicitation methods in an ESRC‐funded study of young consumers. Participants were asked to take photographs of consumer items that were significant to them. These were subsequently used in recorded interviews as a trigger to elicit the discussion of the relationship between consumer goods and identity. The analysis focuses on how the features of visual representation influence the versions of identity that are presented. We show how participants both accommodate to and exploit aspects of the photographic image in creating their accounts. This is achieved by using the visual image to bolster identity claims and employing the verbal accounts to edit and contextualise the identity implications of the visual image. We suggest that the photo interview offers participants an opportunity to show rather than ‘tell’ aspects of their identity that might have otherwise remained hidden. It may therefore be a useful tool for researching contentious or problematic identity positions.