J-B CAD Single Issue Child and Adolescent Development Exemplar

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Child and Adolescent Development
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Exemplar Methods
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NewDirectionsfor
ChildandAdolescent
Development
LeneArnettJensen
ReedW.Larson
Editors-in-Chief
William Damon
FoundingEditor
Exemplar Methods
and Research:
Strategies for
Investigation
M. Kyle Matsuba
Pamela Ebstyne King
Kendall Cotton Bronk
Editors
(cid:129)
Number142 Winter2013
Jossey-Bass
SanFrancisco
EXEMPLARMETHODSANDRESEARCH:STRATEGIESFORINVESTIGATION
M.KyleMatsuba,PamelaEbstyneKing,KendallCottonBronk(eds.)
NewDirectionsforChildandAdolescentDevelopment,no.142
LeneArnettJensen,ReedW.Larson,Editors-in-Chief
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C
ONTENTS
1. AnIntroductiontoExemplarResearch:ADefinition, 1
Rationale,andConceptualIssues
KendallCottonBronk,PamelaEbstyneKing,M.KyleMatsuba
This opening chapter introduces the reader to exemplar research by
highlightingthestrengthtothismethodologicalapproach,raisingim-
portantconceptualissueswhenadoptingthismethodology,andlinking
theseissuestothesubsequentchapters.
2. WhyaTrueAccountofHumanDevelopmentRequires 13
ExemplarResearch
WilliamDamon,AnneColby
The authors, trailblazers of the contemporary exemplar method, per-
suasivelyargueforanexemplarmethodologicalapproachtothestudy
of human development, highlighting the problems that may emerge
whenresearchersneglectthisapproach.
3. Exemplars’MoralBehaviorIsSelf-Regarding 27
LawrenceJ.Walker
Professor Walker presents his program of research on moral exem-
plarsrevealingimportantself-andother-promotingmoralmotivational
sourcesbehindmoralbehaviorandoffersadevelopmentalaccountof
howthisunfolds.
4. CulturalandContextualIssuesinExemplarResearch 41
PamelaEbstyneKing,RossA.OakesMueller,JamesFurrow
Inthischapter,Kingandcolleaguespresentsomeofthemethodolog-
icalcomplexitiesinconductingexemplarresearchinvariouscultural
contexts,andprovidevaluableinsightsintowhatresearchersoughtto
considerbeforeenteringthefield.
5. TheMakingofanEnvironmentalActivist:ADevelopmental 59
PsychologicalPerspective
M.KyleMatsuba,MichaelW.Pratt
Uponreviewingtheliteratureofenvironmentalactivists,Matsubaand
Prattofferadevelopmentalpsychologicalaccountofhowenvironmen-
talactivistsemerge.
6. InformativeandInspirationalContributionsofExemplar 75
Studies
DanielA.Hart,TheresaMurzyn,LisaArchibald
Hartandcolleaguesofferacriticalcommentaryoftheprecedingchap-
ters,highlightingtheirstrengths,anddiscussthegeneralbenefitsofus-
ingexemplarmethodologiestobetterunderstandhumanfunctioning.
INDEX 85
Bronk,K.C.,King,P.E.,&Matsuba,M.K.(2013).Anintroductiontoexemplarresearch:
Adefinition,rationale,andconceptualissues.InM.K.Matsuba,P.E.King,&K.C.Bronk
(Eds.),Exemplarmethodsandresearch:Strategiesforinvestigation.NewDirectionsforChild
andAdolescentDevelopment,142,1–12.
1
An Introduction to Exemplar Research:
A Definition, Rationale, and Conceptual
Issues
KendallCottonBronk,PamelaEbstyneKing,M.KyleMatsuba
Abstract
The exemplar methodology represents a useful yet underutilized approach to
studyingdevelopmentalconstructs.Itfeaturesanapproachtoresearchwhereby
individuals, entities, or programs that exemplify the construct of interest in a
particularlyintenseorhighlydevelopedmannercomposethestudysample.Ac-
cordingly, it reveals what the upper ends of development look like in practice.
Utilizingtheexemplarmethodologyallowsresearcherstoglimpsenotonlywhat
isbutalsowhatispossiblewithregardtothedevelopmentofaparticularchar-
acteristic.Thepresentchapterincludesadefinitionoftheexemplarmethodol-
ogy,adiscussionofsomeofkeyconceptualissuestoconsiderwhenemployingit
inempiricalstudies,andabriefoverviewoftheotherchaptersfeaturedinthis
volume.©2013WileyPeriodicals,Inc.
PNuEbWliDshIReEdCoTnIOliNnSeFiOnRWCiHleILyDOAnNlDinAeDLOiLbErSaCrEyN(TwDilEeVyEoLnOliPnMeElNibTr,anryo..co1m42),.W•inDtOerI:21001.310©02W/cialedy.2P0e0r4io5dicals,Inc. 1
2 EXEMPLARMETHODSANDRESEARCH:STRATEGIESFORINVESTIGATION
A
lthough exemplar research and methods have been more promi-
nentinthelasttwodecadeswithinthedevelopmentalsciences(i.e.,
Bronk,2008;Colby&Damon,1992;Frimer&Walker,2009;Hart
&Matsuba,2009;Reimer,Goudelock,&Walker,2009),thestrategyofus-
ing expert participants in research emerged early in the 20th century (see
Allport, 1942; Murray, 1938). Such methods have been used effectively to
explorelesser-understoodandmultifaceteddomainsofdevelopmentbyen-
gagingtheexemplar-participantasacollaboratorininvestigation.Thisvol-
umeseekstointroduceexemplarresearchtoawideraudience.Asameans
of introduction, this chapter includes a definition of the methodology, an
explanation of why it is important, and a discussion of some of the key
conceptualissuestoconsiderwhenapplyingit.
Definition and Use
The exemplar methodology has been around since Aristotle’s time. While
Aristotle did not conduct empirical studies, he was interested in, among
other things, the study of ethics. He believed that ethics was a practical
ratherthanatheoreticalmatter,andassuch,tolearnaboutthedevelopment
ofethics,virtues,andcharacter,heexaminedhighlyethical,virtuous,and
wiseindividuals.InNicomacheanEthicshewrote,“Weapproachthesubject
ofpracticalwisdombystudyingthepersonstowhomweattributeit”(trans.
1962,6.51140a25).Inotherwords,tounderstandhowacomplexconstruct
functionsanddevelops,itmadesensetoexaminethatconstructinthelives
ofindividualswhoexhibiteditinanintenseandhighlydevelopedmanner.
Maslow (1971) was one of the earliest scholars to actually employ an
exemplar methodology in a research context. Interested in understanding
howpeopleachieveself-actualization,Maslowfocusedhisresearchonindi-
vidualshebelievedwerefullyself-actualized.Development,heclaimed,“is
learningtogrowandlearningwhattogrowtoward”(p.169).LikeAristotle,
Maslowarguedthatifwewanttolearnaboutultimatehumanpotential,we
shouldstudyhighlyfunctionalandenlightenedindividuals.Theexemplar
methodologyrepresentsanapproachtoresearchbasedonthisphilosophy.
Morespecifically,theexemplarmethodologyisasampleselectiontech-
nique that involves the intentional selection of individuals, groups, or en-
tities that exemplify the construct of interest in a particularly intense or
highlydevelopedmanner(Bronk,2012b).Inusingtheexemplarmethodo-
logy, researchers deliberately identify and study a sample of individuals
or entities that exhibit a particular characteristic in an exceptional man-
ner. In this way, the exemplar methodology features participants who are
rare, not from the perspective of the characteristics they exhibit, but in
thehighlydevelopedmannerwithwhichtheydemonstratethoseparticular
attributes.
Theprimarystrengthofexemplarresearchisitsabilitytorevealwhat
theleadingedgeofdevelopmententails.Exemplarsrevealwhatcompleteor
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ANINTRODUCTIONTOEXEMPLARRESEARCH 3
nearlycompletedevelopmentlookslikeinreallife.Whenevermoretypical
individualsbecomecapableofexhibitingactionsindicativeoftheconstruct
of interest, they are tracing the steps of where the exemplars have already
been(Damon&Colby,thisvolume).
However,exemplarsarenotnecessarilyfarremovedfrommoretypical
individuals. For instance, they exhibit the same characteristics as others,
onlyinamorehighlydevelopedmanner.Further,whiletheirdevelopment
isexemplaryinatleastonearea,itislikelytobetypicalorevendeficientin
other areas. For example, moral exemplars exhibit highly developed com-
mitmentstomoralaims,buttheydonotnecessarilyhaveparticularlyhighly
developedsocialorcognitiveabilities.
Because exemplars are similar to typical individuals in other regards,
what we learn from them can be applied to people who demonstrate less
completebutmorecommondevelopmentaroundtheconstructofinterest.
Inotherwords,whatwelearnfromtheexemplarscanilluminatemoretyp-
ical developmental processes. Colby and Damon (1992), in writing about
moralexemplars,notethat“Greatmoralacts...springfromthesamesource
as lesser ones” (p. 4). Put another way, moral exemplars are likely to per-
form more consequential moral acts than typical individuals, but they do
soinessentiallythesameway.
Use of the exemplar methodology has increased in conjunction with
thegrowthofthepositivepsychologymovement(Benson&Scales,2009;
Damon,2004;Seligman&Csikszentmihalyi,2000;Sheldon&King,2001).
Historically, psychologists have been concerned with understanding what
cangowrongwithregardtohumanbehavior,emotions,socialinteractions,
andcognition.Thefocusofthisone-sidedfieldofhumanfunctioning has
broughtaboutahighlydevelopedknowledgeofpeople’smentalvulnerabil-
ities,deficiencies,andillnesses,butithaslargelyignoredissuesofhuman
thriving and flourishing (Bundick, Yeager, King, & Damon, 2010; Selig-
man,2011;Wissing,2000).Leadersinthefieldofpsychology,recognizing
the need for a deeper understanding of people’s inner strengths and over-
allwell-being,helpedestablishthenewparadigmofpositivepsychology.As
thenumberofstudiesbasedonthisnewparadigmhasincreased,sotoohas
use of the exemplar methodology. The exemplar methodology lends itself
tothestudyofoptimalhumandevelopmentbecauseofitsfocusonhighly
developedindividuals.Asaresult,recentexemplarstudieshavetendedto
focuson“positive”constructs.
The exemplar methodology has been employed in qualitative, quan-
titative, and mixed-methods research designs. Historically, the exemplar
methodology was used most commonly in qualitative studies situated
withinthebroadercasestudytradition.GordonAllport(1942),oneofthe
earlyproponentsofcasestudyapproaches,arguedthatidiographicmethods
wereusefulforcounteringthe“thinness”ofnomotheticmethods.
In qualitative exemplar studies, researchers first design nomination
criteria that will be used to qualify potential participants as exemplars.
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4 EXEMPLARMETHODSANDRESEARCH:STRATEGIESFORINVESTIGATION
Ideal nomination criteria are as concrete as possible, and at once narrow
enough to be descriptive of a particularly highly developed group of indi-
viduals,butatthesametimebroadenoughtocapturearangeofexperiences
and characteristics within the exemplary sample (Bronk, 2012b). In some
cases,nominationcriteriaaregeneratedbytheresearchersthemselves(e.g.,
Damon, 2008), and in other cases, they are generated by relevant experts
(e.g.,Colby&Damon,1992).Theprecisenatureofthenominationcrite-
riaisdeterminedbythenatureofthestudy.Forexample,astudyofyoung
careexemplarsusedthefollowingasitsnominationcriteria:Youthcareex-
emplarsareinvolvedincommunity,church,oryouthgroupactivitiesthat
benefitothers;theyhaveunusualoradmirablefamilyresponsibilities;they
exhibitawillingnesstohelpthoseinneed;theyvolunteertheirtimetohelp
others; they display emotional and social maturity; they lead others; they
practiceopen-mindednessaboutothers;theydemonstrateawillingnessto
look beyond the difficulties of living in an urban locale to a better future;
theyshowcompassion;theydisplayasenseofhumilityaboutthemselves;
andtheydemonstrateacommitmenttofriendsandfamily(Hart&Fegley,
1995,p.1350).Astudyofyouthpurposeexemplarsusedthefollowingcri-
teria:Youthpurposeexemplarsdemonstrateanenduringcommitmenttoa
long-termaim;theyreportthattheaimiscentraltowhotheyare;theyare
activelyinvolvedinworkingtowardthataimandhaveplansforcontinuing
todosointhefuture;andtheyarecommittedtothataimatleastinpartbe-
causeitallowsthemtocontributetotheworldbeyondthemselves(Bronk,
2012a,pp.83–84).
Once nomination criteria have been established, they are shared with
nominatorswhousethemtoidentifypotentialexemplars.Nominatorstyp-
icallyincluderelevantexperts.Accordingly,inastudyofmoralexemplars,
nominatorsincludedmoralphilosophers,ethicists,theologians,historians,
andsocialscientists(Colby&Damon,1992),andinastudyofspiritualex-
emplars,theyincludedspiritualleadersandscholarsfromawiderangeof
religiousandspiritualbackgrounds(King,2010).Researchersthenselecta
samplefromthepoolofnominatedexemplarsthatistypicallybalancedfor
age,gender,ethnicity,orotherrelevantdemographicvariables.
Often qualitative exemplar studies are longitudinal and follow indi-
viduals over the course of a particularly important developmental period
(Bronk,2008,2011,2012a;Damon,2008).Othertimesinterviewsarecon-
ducted only once, but in these cases they typically last several hours and
featureaccountsofparticipants’developmentaljourneys(Colby&Damon,
1992;Hart&Fegley,1995;Matsuba&Walker,2005).Inkeepingwiththe
Aristotelian tradition, many qualitative exemplar studies have focused on
aspects of moral and ethical development. For example, recent qualitative
exemplarstudieshavefeaturedsamplesofpurposeexemplars(Bronk,2005,
2008,2011,2012a),moralexemplars(Colby&Damon,1992;MacRenato,
1995;Mastain,2007;Matsuba&Walker,2005),spiritualexemplars(King,
2010), altruistic exemplars (Oliner & Oliner, 1988), bravery exemplars
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