Diversity of Research in Textiles, Clothing, and Human Behavior: The Relationship Between What We Know and How We Know

Abstract

In any field it is important to understand how knowledge is produced and how the production of knowledge affects what is known. Put another way, how have the conclusions drawn from research in textiles, clothing, and human behavior been structured by and affected by the research questions posed, the methods used to collect data, or even the training of its scholars? In this paper we offer a matrix of dimensions as an outline for analyzing research focusing on human behavior as it is related to textiles and clothing. Five broad dimensions are suggested for use in organizing research and in providing insight as to how knowledge in this field has been produced: (a) type of strategy used, (b) time frame, (c) origin of data elicited, (d) technique of data elicitation, and (e) qualitative or quantitative treatment of data. Each dimension is discussed, examples are provided, and related limitations are presented. Given the dimensions presented, we conclude with a discussion of how knowledge is shaped by how it is produced.