Qualitative methods in social and clinical psychology: prolegomena to interdisciplinary dialogue

This article outlines the contours of an interdisciplinary dialogue between social and clinical psychology, the starting point of which the authors consider a qualitative approach to the analysis of mental phenomena. The concepts of qualitative methodology, methods and techniques in modern psychology are defined, epistemological principles of qualitative research are formulated, which allow to speak about them as a special style of scientific cognition. Clear and latent interrelations and borrowings in the sphere of practical application of qualitative methods in the history of national social psychology, pathopsychology and neuropsychology during the XX century are considered. According to the results of the comparative analysis, the preliminary conclusion is made that the qualitative methodology and qualitative methods in the national social, pathopsychology and neuropsychology have not only common historical roots (in the works of A.R. Luria and B.V. Zeigarnik), but also solve both specific and similar problems in various fields of research practice. The development of high - quality methods is one of the priorities of modern psychological science, continuing its best traditions.