Basic Social Processes

The goal of grounded theory is to generate a theory that accounts for a pattern of behavior that is relevant and problematic for those involved. The goal is not voluminous description, nor clever verifi cation. As with all grounded theory, the generation of a basic social process (BSP) theory occur...

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Main Authors: Barney G. Glaser, Judith Holton
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sociology Press 2005-06-01
Series:Grounded Theory Review: An International Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://groundedtheoryreview.org/index.php/gtr/article/view/317
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author Barney G. Glaser
Judith Holton
author_facet Barney G. Glaser
Judith Holton
author_sort Barney G. Glaser
collection DOAJ
description The goal of grounded theory is to generate a theory that accounts for a pattern of behavior that is relevant and problematic for those involved. The goal is not voluminous description, nor clever verifi cation. As with all grounded theory, the generation of a basic social process (BSP) theory occurs around a core category. While a core category is always present in a grounded research study, a BSP may not be. BSPs are ideally suited to generation by grounded theory from qualitative research because qualitative research can pick up process through fieldwork that continues over a period of time. BSPs are a delight to discover and formulate since they give so much movement and scope to the analyst’s perception of the data. BSPs such as cultivating, defaulting, centering, highlighting or becoming, give the feeling of process, change and movement over time. They also have clear, amazing general implications; so much so, that it is hard to contain them within the confines of a single substantive study. The tendency is to refer to them as a formal theory without the necessary comparative development of formal theory. They are labeled by a “gerund”(“ing”) which both stimulates their generation and the tendency to over-generalize them. In this paper, we shall fi rst discuss the search for, and criteria of, core variables (categories) and how they relate to BSPs. Then we go on to a section on several central characteristics of basic social processes. Lastly, we discuss the relative merits of unit vs. process sociology.
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spelling doaj-art-3ec0a9220e9949b4ba22f46079c331d12025-08-20T03:29:35ZengSociology PressGrounded Theory Review: An International Journal1556-15421556-15502005-06-01403Basic Social ProcessesBarney G. GlaserJudith Holton The goal of grounded theory is to generate a theory that accounts for a pattern of behavior that is relevant and problematic for those involved. The goal is not voluminous description, nor clever verifi cation. As with all grounded theory, the generation of a basic social process (BSP) theory occurs around a core category. While a core category is always present in a grounded research study, a BSP may not be. BSPs are ideally suited to generation by grounded theory from qualitative research because qualitative research can pick up process through fieldwork that continues over a period of time. BSPs are a delight to discover and formulate since they give so much movement and scope to the analyst’s perception of the data. BSPs such as cultivating, defaulting, centering, highlighting or becoming, give the feeling of process, change and movement over time. They also have clear, amazing general implications; so much so, that it is hard to contain them within the confines of a single substantive study. The tendency is to refer to them as a formal theory without the necessary comparative development of formal theory. They are labeled by a “gerund”(“ing”) which both stimulates their generation and the tendency to over-generalize them. In this paper, we shall fi rst discuss the search for, and criteria of, core variables (categories) and how they relate to BSPs. Then we go on to a section on several central characteristics of basic social processes. Lastly, we discuss the relative merits of unit vs. process sociology. https://groundedtheoryreview.org/index.php/gtr/article/view/317classic grounded theorybasic social processcore categoriesBasic Social Structural ProcessDeviance
spellingShingle Barney G. Glaser
Judith Holton
Basic Social Processes
Grounded Theory Review: An International Journal
classic grounded theory
basic social process
core categories
Basic Social Structural Process
Deviance
title Basic Social Processes
title_full Basic Social Processes
title_fullStr Basic Social Processes
title_full_unstemmed Basic Social Processes
title_short Basic Social Processes
title_sort basic social processes
topic classic grounded theory
basic social process
core categories
Basic Social Structural Process
Deviance
url https://groundedtheoryreview.org/index.php/gtr/article/view/317
work_keys_str_mv AT barneygglaser basicsocialprocesses
AT judithholton basicsocialprocesses