Explanatory Research (also called causal research) is conducted to explain the reasons or causes behind a phenomenon or relationship.
It aims to uncover the “why” and “how” something happens by testing hypotheses and identifying cause-and-effect links.
Explanatory research seeks to explain the underlying causes, mechanisms, or relationships between variables, moving beyond description to provide deeper understanding.
The purposes of the explanatory research are to determine cause-and-effect relationships, to test hypotheses developed from exploratory research.
Explanatory research also provides, well… explanations of the observed patterns or behaviors, and tries to predict outcomes, based on causal factors.
The main methods of explanatory research are:
- Experiments (lab or field)
- Longitudinal studies
- Statistical analysis of survey or observational data
- Case studies focusing on causal links
For example, after exploratory research suggests a link between social media use and anxiety, explanatory research tests whether increased social media time causes higher anxiety levels through controlled experiments or surveys.