How do researchers choose their goals of inference? A survey experiment on the effects of the state of research and method preferences on the choice between research goals

In empirical research, scholars can choose between an exploratory causes-of-effects analysis, a confirmatory effects-of-causes approach, or mechanism-of-effects analysis that be either confirmatory. Understanding the choice approaches is important for two reasons. First, added value of each approach depends on how much known about phenomenon interest at time analysis. Second, because specializations methods, there are benefits to division labor researchers who have expertise in application given method. this preregistered study, we test hypotheses follow from these arguments. We theorize research chosen when little and taken more knowledge available. A complementary hypothesis quantitative opt designs qualitative exploration their academic socialization. with survey experiment than 900 political scientists United States Europe. The results indicate state has significant sizeable effect approach. contrast, evidence methods ambivalent.