Question

In analytic induction, what happens if the researcher finds a deviant case?

a) They ignore it and carry on
b) They must either redefine or reformulate the hypothesis
c) They conduct a parametric statistical test
d) They give up and decide to be quantitative researchers instead

Answer 1

In analytic induction, encountering a deviant case requires the researcher to redefine or reformulate the hypothesis to incorporate the new data, ensuring that the research remains valid and comprehensive.

Step-by-step explanation:

In analytic induction, when a researcher encounters a deviant case, they must either redefine or reformulate the hypothesis to account for the deviance. This is because analytic induction is an iterative process where each case is explored in-depth, and any deviant case must be understood within the context of the emerging theory. If such a case cannot be explained by the existing hypothesis, then the hypothesis must be modified. This approach aligns with the concept that a hypothesis is a tentative explanation, and when new data does not fit, researchers must either adjust the hypothesis or think of new ways to test the idea. Ignoring evidence or selecting only data that supports the hypothesis would undermine the validity of the research.