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Inductive Approach

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Deductive: Deductive reasoning is a logical process in which a conclusion is based on the concordance of multiple premises that are generally assumed to be true. Deductive reasoning is sometimes referred to as top-down logic. Its counterpart, inductive reasoning, is sometimes referred to as bottom-up logic. Difference: The main difference between inductive and deductive approaches to research is that whilst a deductive approach is aimed and testing theory, an inductive approach is concerned with the generation of new theory emerging from the data. Inductive or Deductive? Two Different Approaches Learning Objectives 1. Describe the inductive approach to research, and provide examples of inductive research. 2. Describe the deductive approach …show more content…

(2004). Sexual harassment as a gendered expression of power. American Sociological Review, 69, 64–92. we began with a prominent feminist theory of the sexual harassment of adult women and developed a set of hypotheses outlining how we expected the theory to apply in the case of younger women’s and men’s harassment experiences. We then tested our hypotheses by analyzing the survey data. In general, we found support for the theory that posited that the current gender system, in which heteronormative men wield the most power in the workplace, explained workplace sexual harassment—not just of adult women but of younger women and men as well. In a more recent paper (Blackstone, Houle, & Uggen, 2006),Blackstone, A., Houle, J., & Uggen, C. “At the time I thought it was great”: Age, experience, and workers’ perceptions of sexual harassment. Presented at the 2006 meetings of the American Sociological Association. Currently under review. we did not hypothesize about what we might find but instead inductively analyzed the interview data, looking for patterns that might tell us something about how or whether workers’ perceptions of harassment change as they age and gain workplace experience. From this analysis, we determined that workers’ perceptions of harassment did indeed shift as they gained experience and that their later definitions of harassment were more stringent than those they held during adolescence. …show more content…

Specifically, no hypotheses can be found at the initial stages of the research and the researcher is not sure about the type and nature of the research findings until the study is completed. In inductive approach there is no theory at the beginning point of the research, and theories may evolve as a result of the research: It is noted that “inductive reasoning is often referred to as a “bottom-up” approach to knowing, in which the researcher uses observations to build an abstraction or to describe a picture of the phenomenon that is being studied” (Lodico et al, 2010, p.10). In other words, in inductive studies no known theories or patterns need to be tested during the research process. Inductive reasoning is based on learning from experience. Patterns, resemblances and regularities in experience (premises) are observed in order to reach conclusions (or to generate theory). Here is an example: My nephew borrowed $100 last June but he did not pay back until September as he had promised (PREMISE). Then he assured me that he will pay back until Christmas but he didn’t (PREMISE). He also failed in to keep his promise to pay back in March (PREMISE). I reckon I have to face the facts. My nephew is never going to pay me back

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