Pre-understanding and openness - a relationship without hope?

In all research, quantitative as well as qualitative, we have to deal with our presuppositions in order to remain open throughout the whole process of inquiry. If we fail to do so the findings might be little more than a refl ected image of something already existing in our understanding. The questio n dealt with in this paper is; how can we gain increased openness by being more aware of our presuppositions. The aim was to investigate the intention al structure of pre-understanding and its effects upon data-collection as w ell as data-analysis and conclusions in research. The question of pre-under standing is central in Gadamer's philosophy, even if he is not the first on e to discuss this concept. Gadamer further developed the philosophy of unde rstanding. According to him pre-understanding is an intentional structure o f feelings and thoughts, which is activated when we regard something as som ething. By studying the structure of pre-understanding we became more aware of its effect upon understanding. In this paper, theoretical frameworks wi thin cognitive and social psychology as well as psychoanalytic object-relat ion-theory were compared with Gadamer's philosophy concerning the condition s of human understanding. Finally the possibility of increased openness in the process of research was discussed. (Such openness is related to knowled ge about the structure of pre-understanding.).