Coreflection and Intersubjectivity in Phenomenological Research

Abstract

Phenomenological research, by focusing on understanding the experience and meaning of phenomena, demands rigorous interpretation based on co-reflection, which is associated with intersubjectivity—essential themes for strengthening the application of phenomenology within research processes. Co-reflection, as a perspective linked to intersubjectivity and phenomenology, conceives of the subject as a reflexive reality endowed with an intrinsic duality that includes the self and the other, grounded in a transcendental and dynamic perspective within a research community. Co-reflection is a fundamental aspect in the configuration of interpersonal identity, which must be combined with phenomenology. Qualitative research centers on the identity of subjects in pairs, presented as an intersubjective task of a co-reflective nature. This process is carried out through conversation within communities of key informants. Coreflection and intersubjectivity, within the framework of alterity and phenomenological research, are key to the development of multiple identities. In this context, the personal is presented as an ever-evolving task, given that human beings are complex and never identical to themselves. This phenomenological and intersubjective coreflexivity is a recognized hallmark inherent to the researcher's practice. The essay concludes by presenting the use of coreflection and intersubjectivity in phenomenological research, specifically for application within the realm of qualitative investigation.