Notes on Qualitative Methods, Deductive/Inductive Reasoning, and Secularization

Semi-structured interviews

Definition: A type of interview where the interviewer has a series of questions in the form of an interview guide but can vary the sequence of questions.
Characteristics:
- Questions are typically more general than those in a fully structured interview schedule.
- Interviewer has latitude to ask follow-up questions in response to replies that seem significant.
Purpose: Balances consistency across interviews with flexibility to explore important responses.
Not all social science studies make theories
Some qualitative writers focus on description of experiences rather than developing comprehensive theories

Some social scientists reject research without direct theoretical connection.
McKeganey and Barnard's (1996) study on British sex workers and their clients provides valuable insights.
- Findings relate to investigations in the sex industry in other countries.
The study illustrates Goffman's (1963) notion of "stigma" and how stigmatized individuals manage identity.
The study also sheds light on Hochschild's (1983) concept of "emotional labour" — the feigned friendliness displayed by flight attendants to handle difficult passengers.
Other non-theoretical studies provide data for evaluating or devising theories.
Ethical/practical implication: Non-theoretical work can still generate important data that inform theory and policy, and it highlights the lived experiences and social dynamics (e.g., stigma and emotional labour) that have real-world consequences.

Developed to explain a particular phenomenon.
Deduces specific hypotheses from the theory.
Tested with empirical data.
Hypotheses are either confirmed or rejected.
In simultaneous research, some hypotheses may be supported.
If data do not support hypotheses, the theory may need revision or rejection.
Sequence (not always linear):
- Theory → Hypotheses → Data collection → Findings → Hypotheses confirmed/rejected → Substantiation, revision, or rejection of theory
Core idea: Move from general theory to specific empirical testing.
Religion and Secularization in Western Countries
- Religion has been a foundation for beliefs about our place in the cosmic order, human nature, and the existence of the universe.

Theories and interpretations are the outcome of research.
Researcher does not start with a theory to be tested; instead, they gather or examine data relevant to the phenomenon being investigated.
Steps (illustrative):
- Observation/findings
- Theory (emerging from the data)
Key idea: Build theory from the ground up based on observed data.

Data gathering is the first step in the inductive method.
Theoretical reflection is followed by data collection to establish the validity of the theory.
Process is iterative (moving between data and theory).
Grounded theory: An approach to the analysis of qualitative data where the goal is to generate theory from the data; data collection and analysis progress in an iterative (recursive) fashion.
Deriving theories from qualitative data
- It is possible to conduct a study purely deductive or inductive, but not always.
- Deduction involves an element of induction, while induction involves a modicum of deduction.
- Researchers often combine both in the same research.
Generalizations
- To generalize a research finding is to apply it to people or groups who were not in the study.
- Example: Statistics Canada finding that the number of people in same-sex marriages in Canada increased from (42{,}030) in 2011 to (48{,}740) in 2016 (Statistics Canada, 2017), which a researcher could use in the context of a discussion of the changing forms of the family in Canada.
Implications:
- Generalizations extend findings beyond the sample, informing broader debates and policy.
- In the context of secularization research, such generalizations help compare trends across countries and time periods.