Abstract

This study presents a qualitative method of inquiry into the how nature is experienced and understood by a particular individual. The scope of literature reviewed for this project is defined by the research question directing this study, namely: "How does an examination of one's experience and understanding of nature depict meaning?" ;Interviews were conducted with three individuals. Participants were asked to respond to a series of questions concerning their understanding of nature in light of specific experiences. Questions were designed to explore descriptions of specific experiences, in addition to the conceptual and contextual orientation of each participant. Care and consideration were exercised in the construction of open-ended interrogatives in an effort to avoid uniform and/or limited responses. ;The purpose of this research effort was twofold: to learn more about how people experience, understand, and describe phenomena; and to develop a qualitative method of inquiry into the experience of phenomena. In the study, experience is examined, seeking out essential meanings, and the underlying beliefs inferred by these meanings. By exploring the context of the co-researcher's experience of nature---or idea of nature---the study suggests that there are a limited number of qualitatively different ways in which people experience and understand nature. ;The primary focus of this research project was the development and application of the method guiding this inquiry. Interview transcripts were submitted to the process of phenomenological reduction, yielding essential themes from the text. Statements were also evaluated for contextual orientation, particularly perceptual habits and sociocultural influences. The objective of this procedure was to explore possible factors contributing to meaningful experiences. ;The findings of this study suggest that descriptions of how phenomena are experienced and understood can be reduced to themes that may offer a glimpse into the context in which experience is embedded, including meaning, motivation, and belief