CAUSAL-COMPARATIVE

RESEARCH
By: Brita Groves

OBJECTIVES
Explain what is meant by the term causal-comparative
research.
Describe how causal-comparative research is both similar to
and different from both correlational and experimental
research.
Identify and describe the steps involved in conducting a
causal-comparative study.
Look at a diagram of a design for a causal-comparative study.
Describe some of the threats to internal validity that exist in
causal-comparative studies and discuss how to control for
these threats.
Recognize a causal-comparative study when you come
across one in the educational research literature.

What is causalcomparative research?

Also known as ex post facto
research. (Latin for after the fact).
In this type of research investigators
attempt to determine the cause or
consequences of differences that
already exist between or among
groups of individuals.

In other words
Causal-comparative research is an
attempt to identify a causative
relationship between an independent
variable and a dependent variable.
The relationship between the
independent variable and dependent
variable is usually a suggested
relationship (not proven) because you
(the researcher) do not have complete
control over the independent variable.

You are a first year agricultural education teacher at the local

high school. At the state CDE contest you run into a Billy
Bob (a fellow agricultural education teacher). When Billy
asks how your year is going, you tell them that you are
discouraged because your students do not seem to like your
teaching very much and complain about your style of testing.
Billy Bob tells you that they have been using e-moments and
some of the concepts from the FFA Life Knowledge
materials to teach their classes. They think that their
students really enjoy their teaching and are learning more
because of it.
You wonder if Billy Bobs approach would work for you

 An appropriate way to approach this

situation would be with a causalcomparative study.
You (the researcher) observe that 2 groups
differ on some variable (teaching style) and
then attempt to find the reason for (or the
results of) this difference.

***Note that the difference has already occurred.***

The Three Types

There are 3 types of causalcomparative research:
Exploration of Effects
Exploration of Causes
Exploration of Consequences

Similarities to
experimental research
Both require at least one
categorical variable.
Both compare group
performances to determine
relationships.

Differences
Causal-comparative
No manipulation of the
variables.

Experimental
The independent variable
is manipulated.

Provide weaker evidence

for causation.

Provide stronger
evidence for causation.

The groups are already

formed, the researcher
must find them.

The researcher can

sometimes assign
subjects to treatment
groups.

The steps
Problem Formulation
Select the sample of individuals
to be studied.
Instrumentation- achievement
tests, questionnaires,
interviews, observational
devices, attitudinal measures
there are no limits

The design
The basic design is to select a
group that has the independent
variable and select another
group of subjects that does not
have the independent variable.
The 2 groups are then compared
on the dependent variable.

Internal Validity
Usually 2 weaknesses in the
research:

Lack of randomization
Inability to manipulate an independent
variable

Threats

Oftentimes subject bias occurs

Location
Instrumentation
Loss of subjects

Proceed with caution!!!

The researcher must remember
that demonstrating a
relationship between 2
variables (even a very strong
relationship) does not prove
that one variable actually
causes the other to change in a
causal-comparative study.

Limitations of Use
There must be a pre-existing
independent variable
Years of study, gender, age, etc.

There must be active variablesvariables which the research

can manipulate

The length and number of study

sessions, instructional techniques,
etc.

Examples
Exploration of effects caused by
membership in a given group.
Question: What differences in
abilities are caused by gender?
Hypothesis: Females have a
greater amount of linguistic ability
than males.

Examples
Exploration of causes of group
membership.

Question: What causes individuals

to join a gang?
Hypothesis: Individuals who are
members of gangs have more
aggressive personalities than
individuals who are not members
of gangs.

Examples
Exploration of the consequences of
an intervention.
Question: How do students taught by the
inquiry method react to propaganda?
Hypothesis: Students who were taught
by the inquiry method are more critical
of propaganda than are those who were
taught by the lecture method.

Example
A Comparison of Urban Teacher
Characteristics for Student
Interns Placed in Different
Urban School Settings
Classroom Behavior of Good
and Poor Readers