Journal Article10.1177/0048393115580420
Mechanisms and Method
21
TL;DR: In this article, the authors consider whether causal mechanisms theory (CMT) makes a contribution to the improvement of social science methodology, and they conclude that CMT does indeed have valuable implications for social science investigation, hypothesis formation and research strategy.
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Abstract: Causal mechanisms theory (CMT) has provided an important contribution to the theory of social explanation. This article considers whether CMT also makes a contribution to improvement of social science methodology. Methodology serves as a guide to the construction of research questions and explanatory hypotheses. Research is guided by background assumptions about the ontology of the domain of investigation. CMT provides a valuable ontology for social science research. Furthermore, it provides a valuable research heuristic: “seek out the causal mechanisms that underlie an outcome of interest.” CMT does indeed have valuable implications for social science investigation, hypothesis formation, and research strategy.
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