Qualitative_data_analysis

50 QUALITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS
This approach to connecting concepts is powerful enough in its way, but it
examines relationships as though they were external and contingent. We may or
may not find that art-lovers are also fun-lovers. And if they are, we are no nearer to
understanding why this connection apparently exists between them. I say
‘apparently’ because, of course, we have to allow for the possibility of spurious
correlations and intervening variables. The association of one variable with another
is not sufficient ground for inferring a causal or any other connection between
them. In effect, we have to interpret numbers in terms of meanings. Only if we can
identify an intelligible meaning does the numerical correlation between different
variables acquire significance.
In qualitative analysis, we can at least return to the data to see whether such a
connection can reasonably be inferred. For example, suppose we observe that most
male advertisers receive replies from women, while most women advertisers receive
replies from men. In other words, there is a high correlation between the gender of
the advertiser and the gender of the respondent. Now, following the approach
outlined above, we could check whether there is any evidence in our data explaining
why these events (the advert and the reply) should be correlated in this way. And of
course, we are likely to find such evidence in the expressed sexual preferences of
advertisers and respondents. But in any case, we would have no difficulty in
accepting this correlation as evidence of a significant connection between the events
of advertising and receiving a reply. The reason for our lack of difficulty or doubt is
that we can readily supply a very plausible explanation of the nature of this
connection. This explanation refers to the power of the sex drive and the force of
attraction between the opposite sexes. We could throw in some cultural factors too,
such as the repression of homosexuality or the powerful influence of prevailing social
expectations encouraging heterosexual relationships. These factors can account for
the pattern in our data, and give us confidence that we are inferring a genuine
connection between events.
What kind of explanations are these? If they also depend on recognizing some
regular conjunction of events, then we face an infinite regress, where correlations
between variables must be perpetually re-analysed in terms of correlations between
other variables. For example, we could cite the regularity with which men and
women live together as evidence of sexual attraction—but then this regularity in
turn would require explanation. However, our explanation is couched in different
terms. In citing the force of sexual attraction, we are identifying a force familiar to
us all by virtue of our nature as human beings. The sexual drive is an integral part of
the human make-up—even when it is repressed. As such, it is a power (or a
susceptibility) which acts as a causal mechanism in producing particular and
identifiable effects (such as pregnancy). From this perspective, cause is related to
capabilities and liabilities; instead of being external and contingent, it is internal and