Historical Research – Concern with whether a particular set of social circumstances is preceded by, accompanied by, or followed by other social circumstances
Examples:
• Organizational changes in a NRM following the death of the founder/leader or a failed prophecy.

Survey Research – Takes measurements on attitudes and/or behaviors of a sample of some population.
Example:
• Characteristics of the Neopagan population in the United States

Comparative Research – Compares characteristics of individual or group characteristics for different groups.
Example:
• Comparison of attitudes of members of The Family International and the American population on a variety of issues.

Experimental Research – Establishes a controlled situation in which only the desired factors can vary. Example:
• Comparison of attitudes of Americans toward Unificationism compared to Marines and Nuns

Participant Observation Research – Participant observation research is a form of fieldwork in which the researcher engages in an ethnographic project (etho = people, graphy = description). The researcher role involves a varying balance of observer and participant. The objective is understanding and describing a group and its way of life from a “native” point of view.
Example:
• An in-depth look at the participant observation process in NRMs.

PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION RESEARCH:
A FORMAL TEXTBOOK MODEL

Steps in Field Research

1. Prepare oneself and read the literature

2. Select a field site and gain access to it

3. Enter the field and establish rapport

4. Adopt a social role, learn the ropes, and get along with members

5. Watch, listen, and collect quality data

6. Begin to analyze data and to generate and evaluate working hypotheses

7. Focus on specific aspects of the setting and use theoretical sampling

8. Conduct field interviews with member informants

9. Disengage and physically leave the setting

10. Complete the analyses and write the research report

PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION RESEARCH:
REPORTS FROM THE FIELD ON RESEARCH REALITIES

Conducting field research on NRMs (or other groups) is a complex personal/professional, social, cultural, and political process in which dynamics and outcomes are difficult to anticipate or control.

The actual experience of fieldworkers often departs significantly from textbook guidelines.

1. Prepare oneself and read the literature
Field Realities:
• Researchers are often oriented by pre-existing interests (Benjamin Zablocki’s research on communes, Amy Siskind’s research on The Fourth Wall Community, Nancy Tosh’s research on a Wiccan coven, Christel Manning’s research on conservative Christian and Jewish women’s groups).
• There often is an absence of pre-existing scientific literature because groups are new and small (John Lofland’s study of the Unification Church).
• Sometimes groups have been in existence for some time but have only recently become visible or have changed form (Stuart Wright’s study of the Branch Davidians, Rob Balch’s study of Heaven’s Gate).
• Available information on new groups is most likely to emanate from movement controversies. (John Hall’s study of the Peoples Temple, David Bromley’s study of the Unification Church, Susan Palmer’s study of the Twelve Tribes).

2. Select a field site and gain access to it
Field Realities:
• Some movements deny virtually all access (Roy Wallis’ research on the Church of Scientology, graduate students research on Amway). Research reports are therefore based on questionable samples of individuals and groups.
• Research sites are likely to be determined by the group or by geographic proximity. (Anson Shupe’s research on the anti-cult movement, James Chancellor’s research on The Family International)
• Even for movements that grant access, various segments of the movement are likely to be inaccessible (Eileen Barker’s research on the Unification Church, James Chancellor’s research on The Family International, Roy Wallis’ research on Scientology).
• Over time movements become increasingly more sophisticated in assessing the professional orientations of social scientists when granting access (Stephen Kent’s research on The Family International).

3. Enter the field and establish relations:
Field Realities:
• Some researchers have gained access by engaging in covert research (Roy Wallis’ research on Scientology, John Lofland’s research on the Unification Church, David van Zant’s research on The Family International). Covert research produces ongoing ethical quandaries for researchers. Social science ethics standards and Internal Review Board standards have now restricted such methods.
• Timing of relationship to the group often determines access to data (Marion Goldman’s research on Rajneeshpuram, James Chancellor’s research on The Family International, Burke Rochford’s research on Hare Krishna)
• Movements have a variety of motives for granting access, most often some advantage they see for the movement (James Chancellor’s research on The Family International, Richard Ofshe’s research on Synanon, Miguel Leatham’s research on Nueva Jerusalén, Marion Goldman’s research on Rajneeshpuram).
• Movement gatekeepers may disagree on access or permit access to one part of the movement but not others (Bromley’s research on the Unification Church, Burke Rochford’s research on Hare Krishna, James Chancellor’s research on The Family International).

4. Adopt a social role, learn the ropes, and get along with members
Field Realities:
• Most often the convert role is most available, but maintaining that role becomes increasingly more difficult (Miguel Leatham’s research on Nueva Jerusalén, James Richardson’s research on a communal Christian group, Dick Anthony’s research on a Jesus Freak group).
• In some cases researchers have become associated with the groups they are studying (Burke Rochford’s research on Hare Krishna, Kenneth Lieberman’s research on Buddhism, Nancy Tosh’s research on a Wiccan coven).
• Movements will take advantage of the researcher’s presence in ways that have the potential to change the movement itself by asking for information or advice (Eileen Barker’s research on the Unification Church, David Bromley’s research on the Unification Church).

5. Watch, listen, and collect quality data
6. Begin to analyze data and to generate and evaluate working hypotheses
7. Focus on specific aspects of the setting and use theoretical sampling
• One of the most important principles to which researchers’ subscribe is “triangulation.” (Lewis Carter’s research on Rajneeshpuram, Miguel Leatham’s research on Nueva Jerusalén).

8. Conduct field interviews with member informants
Field Realities:
• One of the most significant issues confronting researchers is the balance that is struck between participation and observation (Kenneth Lieberman’s research on Buddhism, Benjamin Zablocki’s research on communes).
• Many researchers report feelings of disorientation, confusion, and ambivalence when moving back and forth between the group and their academic environments (Nancy Tosh’s research on a Wiccan coven, Kenneth Lieberman’s research on Buddhism)
• Most researchers attempt to maintain some degree of distance and some protected space (James Richardson’s research on a communal Christian group, Benjamin Zablocki’s research on communal groups, James Chancellor’s research on The Family International). Research teams face the potential that a team member may convert (Susan Palmer’s research on various groups).

9. Disengage and physically leave the setting
Field Realities:
• Researchers face the possibility that their projects may be terminated prematurely (Susan Palmer’s research on the Raelians, Miguel Leatham’s research on Nueva Jerusalén)
• Projects are not necessarily over simply because one leaves the site (Burke Rochford’s research on Hare Krishna, James Beckford’s research on the Unification Church).
• The research process may have a longlasting personal impact on the researcher (Kenneth Liberman’s research on Buddhism, Marion Goldman’s research on Rajneeshpuram.

10. Complete the analyses and write the research report
Field Realities:
• Researchers confront the issue of what information should be included in published reports (David Bromley’s research on Unificationism).
• Researchers confront the issue of what orientation and perspective should be taken in their written work (James Chancellor’s research on The Family International).
• Researchers face the challenge of dealing with external pressures from groups to their research and writing, opponents (Roy Wallis’ research on the Church of Scientology, Burke Rochford’s research on Hare Krishna, Julius Rubin’s research on the Bruderhoff).
• Researchers confront the continuing issue of what other roles should scholars play on the basis of their research (Dick Anthony’s research on a variety of groups, James Tabor and Eugene Gallagher’s research on the Branch Davidians).
• Researchers face the continuing ambivalence of colleagues and administrators with the university community over their involvement with disreputable groups.