DEVELOPMENTAL CRISIS IN EARLY ADULTHOOD: A ...

cognitive dissonance theory on a single UFO cult in Chicago who predicted global
cataclysm on a specific data (Festinger, Riecken & Schacter, 1956). He predicted,
based on his theory, that when the event did not occur, the members of the cult would
not give up their beliefs, because the cognitive dissonance would be too
uncomfortable, and may even strengthen their beliefs. His predictions were borne out
and so the theory was supported. While describing this group within the nomothetic
context of theory-testing, much idiographic detail emerged too and was reported in
extensive detail.
In sum, this thesis does not accept the traditional position that individuality
and theory are antagonistic, but rather sees individuality and theory as
complementary, and employs case-by-case theory generation, case-specific theory
testing and within-case theory exemplification in order to grasp the nature of early
adult crisis in its theoretical and individual forms.
3.2 Between the Inductive / Hypothetico-Deductive Polarity
The hypothetico-deductive approach to science is dominant across most forms
of science, thanks to Karl Popper, whose influential philosophy is widely considered
to be a gold standard for scientific investigation (Popper, 1959; Popper, 1972).
Popper was attempting to solve the philosophical problem of scientific induction,
which is the problem of how one can rationally justify jumping from particular
observations of a limited sample to general conclusions for a larger population or
universe of phenomena. He concluded that you can’t – it is a leap of faith, but that
there is a way around it by the use of a hypothetico-deductive approach to science. In
this approach one starts with a hypothesised prediction, and proceeds to test this
hypothesis with data. One is then not working with the difficulties of induction,
instead all one has to do is to make a deduction as to whether the hypothesis is
supported or not. If the hypothesis is shown to be false, the theory is undermined. If
repeated hypotheses are falsified, then the theory is rejected.
Qualitative methods in the social sciences have been opposed to using the
hypothetico-deductive approach to science, having found problems in its application.
Much qualitative work is undertaken in an exploratory and open fashion on domains
that are not well charted and understood, precisely in the theory-generation area that
Popper overlooked. Popper had little to say on how theory was actually generated in
order to extrapolate hypotheses for testing, other than stating it was through a process
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