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graphic characteristics of Third World people, the following conclusion can bedrawn:C: Increasing levels of welfare among the members of the Black communityin South Africa will result in a decrease in the population growth rate ofthat group.Free download from www.hsrcpress.ac.zaWe once again have the situation that C deductively follows from premiss s 1and the assumption that we made that the basic pattern of living of Blacks inSouth Africa resembles that of Third World inhabitants. C may now be used asthe research hypothesis of a project. If the data that are collected were tosupport the hypothesis, it would provide inductive support for thegeneralization concerning the relationship between welfare and populationgrowth rates.It is, therefore, clear that induction and deduction have to be regarded ascomplementary modes of reasoning. In those disciplines in which clearlyarticulated theories and models offer explanations for particular phenomena,the deductive derivation of new research hypotheses from existing frames ofreference could well form the first step of an investigation. The subsequentcollection of evidence offered in support of the research hypothesis, wouldobviously display a typically inductive pattern. Schematically, this may berepresented in the following manner:Theory → deductive inference leading to → research hypothesis (hypotheses) -→ collection of empirical evidence → inductive →confirmation of hypothesis→ indirect support of the initial theory.At the beginning of the chapter we referred briefly to the differences that existbetween research in which a deductive strategy is followed and research inwhich use is made of an inductive strategy. Following our discussion ofdeduction and induction, it ought to be clear that this distinction is based uponthe differences that are to be found between deductive and inductive inference.In research in which use is made of a deductive strategy, the basic pattern thatwe presented schematically in the previous paragraph is followed. In researchof a more inductive nature, however, (compare the majority of studies in whichhistorical analysis is used, as well as textual analysis, exploratory studies, andso on) the study usually ends with a more explicit hypothesis or theory, ormerely with an interpretation. These findings are derived from the data in aninductive manner.Threats to inferential validityIt is evident that the most important threats to inferential validity are associatedwith the nature of the inference between premiss and conclusion.(1) As far as deductive inferences are concerned, the question is whether theconclusion does, in fact, follow from the preceding premisses. Is the con-117