Theoretical Saturation
What is theoretical saturation?
Theoretical saturation is the point in grounded theory analysis where collecting and analyzing additional data does not teach you more about your topic.
With grounded theory, data analysis and collection occur iteratively until you reach theoretical saturation. Once you have saturated all that you can learn about a particular topic, you no longer need to collect more data.
In grounded theory, you aim for theoretical saturation.
What is theoretical saturation in grounded theory?
With grounded theory, you collect and analyze data iteratively. You start by recruiting a small group of participants, analyze the data, and continue to recruit based on what you learn in analysis until you reach theoretical saturation.
The purpose of continuing to collect more data is to discover and learn more about the topics and themes that arise from your analysis. With each round of data collection and analysis, you should be expanding upon your findings.
However, once you reach a point where additional data continues to confirm what you already know, or just shows you similar things over and over again, this means that you have saturated all that you can learn about that topic and have reached theoretical saturation.
See how to aim for theoretical saturation in grounded theory
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References
Glaser, B., & Strauss, A. (1967). The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research. Mill Valley, CA: Sociology Press.
