a term coined by Glaser and Strauss to describe the type of theory produced by their methods of ethnographic data collection and analysis. The approach emphasizes the systematic discovery of theory from data, by using methods of constant comparison and theoretical sampling, so that theories remain grounded in observations of the social world, rather than being generated in the abstract. This they propose as an inductive alternative to hypothetico-deductive approaches.
Grounded in data that have been systematically obtained by social research.
An approach to qualitative research where the researchers try to approach a problem with no preconceptions, and to build their theories solely from the data gathered.
a theory that has been grounded in reality derived from data systematically obtained from social research.
Practice of developing other theories that emerge from observing a group. Theories are grounded in the group's observable experiences, but researchers add their own insight into why those experiences exist.
"Grounded theory refers to the attempt to derive theories from an analysis of the patterns, themes, and common categories discovered among observational data" (Babbie, 1998, p.305).
an approach to collecting and analysing qualitative data with the aim of developing theories grounded in real world observations.
An inductive, theory discovery methodology that allows the researcher to develop a theoretical account of the general features of a topic while simultaneously grounding the account in empirical observations or data. Martin and Turner 1986.
Grounded theory is a general research method for behavioral science developed by the sociologists Barney Glaser (b. 1930) (trained in quantitative sociology by Paul Lazarsfeld) and Anselm Strauss (1916-1996) (trained in symbolic interactionism by Herbert Blumer). The successful collaboration of Glaser and Strauss in research on dying in hospitals evolved into the "constant comparative method", or grounded theory (GT). The name underscores the generation of theory from data.
Grounded Theory (GT) is a Qualitative research method most often associated with the social sciences, for example as psychology. Developed by the sociologists Barney Glaser (b. 1930) and Anselm Strauss (1916-1996). Their collaboration in research on dying hospital patients led them to write the book Awareness of Dying and by using the constant comparative method, the theory became known as Grounded Theory; see also The Discovery of Grounded Theory (Glaser & Strauss, 1967).
Grounded theory is either of two different paradigms in sociological work. After common beginnings (The Discovery of Grounded Theory, Glaser & Strauss, 1967), two different methodologies emerged. This article deals with grounded theory in the tradition of Anselm Strauss.