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The visual matrix method in a study of death and dying: Methodological reflections

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Abstract

The visual matrix method is designed to elicit imagistic and associative contributions established collectively amongst participants in a group setting. In this article, a hard-to-reach area of experience – death and dying – illustrates the production of shared cultural images beyond individual experience. Our dual purpose was to assess the suitability of the method for this challenging topic, and to understand the ways in which death figured in the imagination of the participants. Three theorists, Wilfred Bion, Alfred Lorenzer and Gilles Deleuze, enable us to theorise psychosocial processes of symbolisation beyond cognition.

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Acknowledgements

The workshop series Exploring Life Transitions in Old Age through a Visual Matrix (2014–15) was funded by the Joint Committee for Nordic Research Councils in the Humanities and Social Sciences (NOS-HS). We thank the invited participants for their contributions to the research.

Conflict of interest

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stavanger, Rennebergstien 30, 4021, Stavanger, Norway

    Ellen Ramvi, Lynn Froggett & Birgitta Haga Gripsrud

  2. Psychosocial Research Unit, School of Social Work, Care & Community, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HE, UK

    Julian Manley & Lynn Froggett

  3. Department of People and Technology, Roskilde University, P.O. Box 260, Universitetsvej 1, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark

    Lynn Froggett, Anne Liveng & Aase Lading

  4. University of Central Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HE, UK

    Wendy Hollway

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  1. Ellen Ramvi
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  2. Julian Manley
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  3. Lynn Froggett
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  4. Anne Liveng
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  6. Wendy Hollway
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  7. Birgitta Haga Gripsrud
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Correspondence to Ellen Ramvi.

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Ramvi, E., Manley, J., Froggett, L. et al. The visual matrix method in a study of death and dying: Methodological reflections. Psychoanal Cult Soc 24, 31–52 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41282-018-0095-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41282-018-0095-y

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