Final answer:
Thick description provides in-depth narrative details and context, portraying not just the actions but also the meanings and experiences of a culture, while thin description provides shallow, surface-level details without deeper contextual interpretation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The difference between thick and thin description stems from the anthropological work of Clifford Geertz, particularly as seen in his influential text 'The Interpretation of Cultures' (1973).
Thick description is an approach in ethnography and qualitative research that involves detailed, narrative descriptions of cultural activities. These descriptions are not just about the actions themselves but also include the context, meaning, and intentions behind those actions. Geertz's method includes a lot of sensory detail – sights, sounds, smells, textures – to convey not just the facts but the experiences and symbols of the culture being studied.
In contrast, thin description merely reports facts and events in a superficial manner without the same depth of context and meaning. This approach might note what is happening in a particular situation, but it does not delve into the 'why' behind these actions or explain their significance within the culture. It lacks the narrative richness that thick description strives to achieve.