Discursive psychology

Discursive psychology is a form of discourse analysis that focuses on psychological themes. It was developed in the 1990s by Jonathan Potter and Derek Edwards at Loughborough University. It draws on Wittgenstein's later philosophy, the rhetorical approach of Michael Billig, the ethnomethodology of Harold Garfinkel and the conversation analysis of Harvey Sacks. Discursive psychological studies highlight the way people construct versions of 'mental', 'social' and 'material' events and processes as parts of particular practices.

Discursive psychology is based on the philosophy of language of the later Wittgenstein, and the conversation analysis of Harvey Sacks. Discursive psychologists tend to make very detailed studies of the 'real world' use of language, in an attempt to see how language functions as a social process. In particular, these studies highlight the way people construct versions of 'mental', 'social' and 'material' events and processes as parts of particular practices. Recently the focus has been on interaction in everyday and institutional settings such as relationship counselling, child protection helplines, and neighbour mediation. It is philosophically opposed to more traditional cognitivist approaches to language.