From research findings to theory: the practice of inductive and experiential theorizing
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Many research studies in semiotics and communication make important contributions by describing, interpreting, or explaining particular phenomena. Yet relatively few culminate in the development of a theory that integrates their findings into a broader conceptual framework. As a result, valuable insights often remain tied to the specific context in which they were generated rather than contributing to a more general understanding of the phenomenon under investigation. This essay explores how scholars can move from the findings of a completed study to the development of a theory by offering a systematic process for transforming empirical insights into abstract theoretical explanations. We describe the steps involved in two forms of theory construction – inductive and experiential. Inductive theorizing is a bottom-up approach in which researchers collect and code data, identify recurring patterns, develop theoretical constructs, and explicate the relationships among those constructs to generate a new theory. Experiential theory construction begins with the recognition that an existing theory is inadequate for explaining a phenomenon. Researchers then articulate an alternative starting point and develop a new theory that offers a more compelling explanation. We illustrate these two approaches with the theories of visual enactment and constricted and constructed potentiality.
Source: Language and Semiotic Studies
Authors: Karen A. Foss, Sonja K. Foss
Institutions: University of New Mexico, University of Colorado Denver
Language: English
Subfield: Literature and Literary Theory
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7208737090