Grounded theory is characterized by which methodological approach?

• A. It uses inductive generation of theory from data, followed by deductive testing in iterative cycles
• B. It relies exclusively on deductive testing of existing theory
• C. It avoids iterative cycles
• D. It relies only on cross-sectional surveys

Answer: (A)

Grounded theory centers on generating theory from data through an inductive process, rather than starting with a pre-existing hypothesis. Researchers collect data, code it, and use constant comparison to develop categories, letting patterns emerge into a theory that is truly rooted in the data. As the theory begins to take shape, data collection is guided by the emerging theory (theoretical sampling) and the researcher tests and refines the ideas in iterative cycles, sometimes applying deductive checks to see how well the emerging theory fits new data. This approach contrasts with relying exclusively on deductive testing of existing theory, avoiding iterative cycles, or using cross-sectional surveys, each of which does not aim to generate theory from data in an emergent, iterative way.