From Conceptualization of Understanding to Identification of Anomaly
The meaning constructed in the previous stage of the dialogue led to the conceptualisation of a professional understanding regarding the issue discussed. The second stage of the dialogue began with the composition of a tentative guiding principle regarding the new understanding. The initial composition of the guiding principle is very generalised, and the next step was to explore the operant significance of the principle or the way it can be identified in professional behaviour or applied in practice, in our dialogue. We examined the understanding and its guiding principle further, by presenting Anat with new vignettes involving other situations which occurred in my cases, and were related to the issue at hand. This involved the critical examination of my professional behaviour by considering it together with other possible options of intervention, and the reinforcing or inhibiting effect on the consequences of each therapeutic case discussed. From these new vignettes, anomalies in the form of occurrences which did not align to the new guiding principle were identified by Anat. Anat drew my attention to differences and contradictions to my choices of interventions in cases we had discussed previously. She identified these anomalies within the vignettes and the theoretical literature she had studied. On other occasions, she would present patterns and themes in my practical decisions, to me, which she had constructed from the vignettes which I had presented to her, and attempt to compose a guiding principle. I would identify anomalies which did not align with the principle, deriving justification for this from additional vignettes from my practical experience, and supported them with theoretical grounding. In this step, either support and grounding for this guiding principle were established, or it was rejected due to an insufficient justification for its consistent application. The guiding principles which appeared efficient and consistent were elucidated into a practical guiding principle for our model of practical knowledge.