conceptual-frameworks

# Conceptual and Theoretical Frameworks A **conceptual framework** organizes key concepts and their proposed relationships for inquiry. A **theoretical framework** anchors the study more explicitly in named theories. Frameworks can clarify focus—or **force** data if deployed insensitively. ## Conceptual vs theoretical - **Conceptual:** often diagrammatic; may combine constructs from several sources without full commitment to one grand theory. - **Theoretical:** cites specific theories (e.g., Bourdieu, stress-process models) to interpret mechanisms. The boundary is fuzzy in practice; be explicit about what you are doing. ## Role in qualitative research (non-GT) In case studies, ethnographies, or thematic analyses, frameworks can: - Provide **sensitizing concepts** (Blumer). - Guide initial sampling or interview topics. - Offer **dialogue partners** in discussion sections. ## Glaser’s stance: no framework before GT (classic) In Glaserian classic GT, avoid importing a substantive-area framework **before** emergence. Literature prior to analysis can **force** categories. Instead, develop theoretical sensitivity through **broad reading outside** the substantive area and through **memoing**. If a framework appears later, treat extant theory as **more data** to compare against your emergent theory. ## When frameworks are appropriate Framework-first approaches can be appropriate when: - Your question is explicitly **theory-testing** or **critical** (not classic GT). - You use **program theory** evaluation designs. - You conduct **deductive** qualitative content analysis with transparent rules. ## Building a framework from literature (when allowed) 1. Map constructs and claims across sources. 2. Identify **contradictions** and **boundary conditions**. 3. Draft a diagram with **directional hypotheses** framed as **working ideas**, not shackles. 4. Iterate after early data—revise or abandon what fails to fit. ## Visual representation Use boxes for constructs, arrows for proposed influences, footnotes for contested links. Keep **legends** and **definitions** adjacent; avoid spaghetti diagrams. ## Sensitizing concepts (Blumer) Sensitizing concepts give **direction** without determining findings: they suggest **what kinds of things matter** (e.g., “career,” “negotiation”) while leaving content open. ## Integration with analysis If you start with sensitizing concepts, log **every moment** a concept did not fit—those moments often birth **new categories**. ## Checklist - [ ] Framework purpose stated (sensitizing vs testing vs GT-post-emergence). - [ ] Classic GT: pre-study substantive forcing avoided. - [ ] Definitions operationalized enough to guide (not strangle) inquiry. - [ ] Visual model readable; arrows interpreted. - [ ] Revisions tracked when data challenge the framework. ## References (starting points) - Blumer, H. *Symbolic interactionism: Perspective and method* — sensitizing concepts. - Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. *Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook* — matrix-based conceptual displays. - Glaser, B. G. *Theoretical Sensitivity* — caution on imported frameworks in GT.