Objective: This study was conducted to elucidate the position, analyze the applications, and develop a practical guide for the abductive reasoning approach in behavioral sciences research. By offering an innovative framework, this approach enables a deeper understanding and more meaningful explanation of the complex and multidimensional problems in behavioral sciences.
Method: This study was conducted as a systematic documentary review, adhering to the PRISMA (2020) guidelines. A systematic search of resources in the ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases was performed using a comprehensive set of keywords, leading to the initial identification of 1,526 records. A four-stage screening process was conducted with independent review by two researchers, ultimately resulting in the selection and analysis of 62 eligible articles.
Results: The data analysis resulted in the identification and classification of the applications of abductive reasoning into six principal dimensions: cognitive, methodological, practical, philosophical, critical, and emerging interdisciplinary. The results confirm its high efficacy in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research. Key strengths include its capacity for creative theorization, in-depth analysis of phenomena, and methodological flexibility, though challenges such as interpretive subjectivity remain.
Conclusions: Based on the findings of this review, it can be argued that the integration of abductive reasoning with novel analytical technologies constitutes an essential step in advancing the methodology of behavioral sciences research. This convergence not only unveils new horizons for exploring complex behavioral issues by providing a unified framework, but also significantly mitigates the inherent limitations of purely quantitative or qualitative approaches when confronting ambiguous, multidimensional research questions.