Challenges for Person-Oriented Research: Some Considerations Based on Laursen’s Article

Abstract

This is a commentary to an article published by Brett Laursen in the first issue of the Journal for Person-Oriented Research where he wrote about his personal experiences with the person-oriented approach (Laursen, 2015). He discussed several sources of confusion with the approach and pointed to the importance of identifying areas of miscommunication that need to be addressed. Sources of confusion included the comparatively modest impact of the approach on mainstream research, terminological confusion, technical obstacles, and unclarity about what new knowledge is produced by the approach. These sources are briefly discussed and it is pointed out that the confusion is only partly due to miscommunication. It is true that those of us responsible for developing and advocating the approach have a communication problem with the broader scientific community that needs to be addressed - but Laursen´s confusion also points to challenges for the person-oriented approach in theory formulation and methodology development. Finally, it is urged that, when writing a paper using the person-oriented approach, the researcher should pay attention to Laursen´s sources of confusion and strive for clarity.