Universität zu Köln

Rohlfing, Ingo . The Choice between Crisp and Fuzzy Sets in Qualitative Comparative Analysis and the Ambiguous Consequences for Finding Consistent Set Relations. Field Methods. THOUSAND OAKS: SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC. ISSN 1552-3969

Full text not available from this repository.

Abstract

Empirical researchers using qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) can work with crisp, multivalue, and fuzzy sets. The relative advantages of crisp and multivalue sets have been discussed in the QCA literature. There has been little reflection on the more frequent decision between crisp and fuzzy sets for which there often is no theoretical guidance. A review shows that researchers often prefer fuzzy over crisp sets, sometimes because they contain more information. This meets with the argument that fuzzy sets produce more conservative consistency measures and constitute tougher tests. In my article, I demonstrate analytically and with data from published QCA studies that the relationship between crisp sets, fuzzy sets, and the consistency score is ambiguous. It depends on the distribution of cases whether the consistency value is more or less conservative for fuzzy sets than for crisp sets. I outline the implications of the ambiguous relationship for empirical research.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Rohlfing, Ingo UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-123893
DOI:	10.1177/1525822X19896258
Journal or Publication Title:	Field Methods
Publisher:	SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC
Place of Publication:	THOUSAND OAKS
ISSN:	1552-3969
Language:	English
Faculty:	Unspecified
Divisions:	Unspecified
Subjects:	no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language PITFALLS; POTENTIALS; QCA Multiple languages Anthropology; Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary Multiple languages
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/12389