Hermeneutics & Discourse Analysis in Social Psychology

Today it is accepted that philosophical hermeneutics has become an important research paradigm within the social sciences, including social psychology. This interpretive turn seems preferable for the studies of moral belief systems, world-views, and legal systems as compared to the positive behavioural approach. It soon became clear that one of the consequences of the H-D paradigm is the discursive approach, especially as it relates to the attainment of a rational consensus among a group of peers. The desire for a rational consensus is based on the understanding that only discursively achieved agreements can prevent the use of force. This book examines hermeneutics and the use of discourse in general in social interactions.