Dec 19, 2024 3 min read Grounded Theory

Using AI in Grounded Theory Research: A Framework for ChatGPT Assistance

Hot off the press: a pre-print by Hilary Engward, Melanie Birks, Jane Mills and I on using ChatGPT as a research assistant in grounded theory research:

Veggel, N. van et al. (2024) ‘Using AI in Grounded Theory research – a proposed framework for a ChatGPT-based research assistant’. SocArxiv. Available at: https://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/a2dc4.

Our paper in 30 seconds

Purpose of the Framework: The paper introduces a structured framework for integrating ChatGPT into grounded theory research, emphasising its role as a research assistant rather than a replacement for the researcher’s intellectual rigour.
Alignment with Methodology: The framework aligns with established grounded theory processes, focusing on maintaining methodological integrity while leveraging ChatGPT’s data processing capabilities.
Researcher’s Role: The framework underlines the importance of researcher oversight, particularly in ensuring theoretical sensitivity, reflexive thinking, and conceptual development.
Potential and Limitations: While ChatGPT can handle data organisation and pattern recognition efficiently, it lacks the human capacity for nuanced interpretation and theoretical abstraction.

Our paper in 3 min

Grounded theory is a robust qualitative methodology aimed at constructing theories grounded in data rather than testing pre-existing hypotheses. The iterative nature of this methodology demands continuous interaction between data collection and analysis. While AI tools like ChatGPT offer immense potential for automating repetitive tasks and facilitating analysis, they must be carefully integrated to preserve the human-centric intellectual aspects of grounded theory research.

This article introduces a framework designed to guide researchers in employing ChatGPT as an assistant in grounded theory research. The framework is not a substitute for the researcher’s expertise but a structured tool to enhance efficiency and support methodological rigour.

The integration of ChatGPT into grounded theory research offers a practical means to enhance efficiency and methodological rigour while preserving the intellectual integrity of qualitative analysis.

Framework Overview

Key Components

The framework is divided into several phases of grounded theory research:

Preparatory Phase: This phase involves establishing protocols for ChatGPT’s use, determining ethical considerations, and preparing data for AI processing. Examples include:
- Defining confidentiality measures for data preparation.
- Creating structured AI prompts aligned with grounded theory processes.
Initial Coding: ChatGPT assists in identifying core concepts, actions, and experiences in the data. Researchers might prompt the AI to:
- Identify recurring themes in interview transcripts.
- Compare and contrast data segments.
Intermediate Coding: This phase focuses on category development and relationship determination. ChatGPT can help group codes into broader categories and explore inter-category relationships. However, the researcher must ensure that these categories align with grounded theory principles.
Advanced Coding: At this stage, ChatGPT’s role is more limited. While it can aid in consolidating categories and identifying gaps in the data, the researcher must take the lead in developing abstract theoretical concepts.
Presentation and Visualisation: Researchers can use ChatGPT to explore ways to present their theory visually and narratively, ensuring clarity and impact.

Challenges and Considerations

Theoretical Sensitivity and Conceptual Development

ChatGPT excels at pattern recognition and systematic comparison but lacks the capacity for theoretical sensitivity. Researchers must engage deeply with the data to ensure meaningful conceptual leaps and abstract reasoning, which are central to grounded theory.

Memo Integration

Memos are vital in tracking analytical progress and conceptual evolution. While ChatGPT can process and analyse memos, it cannot replicate the reflexive thinking and iterative development that memos facilitate.

Ethical and Methodological Integrity

The use of ChatGPT raises ethical considerations, particularly regarding data confidentiality and the potential for bias introduced by the AI’s training data. Researchers must maintain critical oversight to ensure the AI’s outputs do not inadvertently impose pre-existing frameworks onto inductively analysed data.

Constant Comparison

A hallmark of grounded theory, constant comparison requires nuanced interpretation of data relationships. While ChatGPT can assist in comparing codes and categories, human oversight is crucial to uncovering subtle social processes and contextual nuances.

Advantages of Using ChatGPT

Despite its limitations, ChatGPT offers significant benefits when used judiciously:

Efficiency: The AI can process large volumes of data quickly, freeing researchers to focus on interpretative work.
Organisation: ChatGPT systematically manages and compares data, supporting analytical clarity.
Scalability: Its capacity for handling extensive datasets makes it particularly valuable in complex research projects.

Conclusion

The proposed framework positions ChatGPT as a powerful tool to support grounded theory research. By clearly delineating the roles of AI and the researcher, the framework ensures that ChatGPT enhances the analytical process without compromising methodological integrity. Researchers must remain vigilant in their oversight, ensuring that human creativity, sensitivity, and intellectual rigour remain central to theory development.

As AI technologies evolve, their role in qualitative research may expand, but their function as an assistant rather than a replacement for human analysis is a pragmatic and methodologically sound stance.