Paper long abstract:

Current attempts at gaining recognition of qualitative methods in psychology are characterised by producing, naming, demanding and adhering to specific, well defined, and unambiguous methodological standards. The paper analyses how the trend of methodological standardisation affects psychological knowledge production. On the one hand we argue that an appropriation by standardisation is taking place through the disenchanted creation of transparency and legitimacy. On the other hand some qualitative researchers in psychology oppose standardisation and celebrate instead authentic experiences and engagement with their research subjects. We argue that this amounts to naturalisation of `core values´.

Both the preoccupation with qualitative methods as a standardized set of techniques and as naturalised engagement downplay research practice as an unfolding process of assembling the research object of psychology through academic work and of assembling psychological knowledge accordingly. We attempt to apply STS insights to engage in the current debates and coin our contribution systematic research assembling.