TY - JOUR
AU - Arel-Bundock, Vincent
AB - Qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) is an influential methodological approach motivated by set theory and boolean logic. QCA proponents have developed algorithms to analyze quantitative data, in a bid to uncover necessary and sufficient conditions where causal relationships are complex, conditional, or asymmetric. This article uses computer simulations to show that researchers in the QCA tradition face a vexing double bind. On the one hand, QCA algorithms often require large data sets in order to recover an accurate causal model, even if that model is relatively simple. On the other hand, as data sets increase in size, it becomes harder to guarantee data integrity, and QCA algorithms can be highly sensitive to measurement error, data entry mistakes, or misclassification.
TI - The Double Bind of Qualitative Comparative Analysis
JF - Sociological Methods & Research
DO - 10.1177/0049124119882460
DA - 2022-08-01
UR - https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/sage/the-double-bind-of-qualitative-comparative-analysis-Cc1cPO9TzS
SP - 963
EP - 982
VL - 51
IS - 3
DP - DeepDyve
ER -