Methodologies of informed intuition: the role of informed intuition and intuitive openness

Knott, Eleanor ORCID: 0000-0002-9131-3939 (2025) Methodologies of informed intuition: the role of informed intuition and intuitive openness. Perspectives on Politics. ISSN 1537-5927

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Abstract

In political science, positivist scholars often approach intuition cautiously as something best avoided or improved by methodological training. Meanwhile, interpretive scholars typically laud “hunches” as necessary guiding logics. This article introduces the novel concept of “informed intuition,” drawing on understandings of intuition in cognitive psychology and organizational behavior that emphasize the importance of learning and feedback in developing and using intuition. Many political scientists agree privately that they use intuition but rarely acknowledge it in published works. As such, the article argues for harnessing, acknowledging, recognizing, and legitimizing the role of informed intuition across methodological and epistemic divides. Specifically, it demonstrates the importance of acknowledging the role of informed intuition in the logics of research (inductive, deductive, or abductive) and case selection. In doing so, the article aligns with discussions of transparency to argue that researchers should also consider demonstrating intuitive openness to enhance research integrity.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© 2025 The Author(s)
Divisions:	Methodology
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Date Deposited:	25 Nov 2024 10:48
Last Modified:	14 Apr 2025 17:42
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/126160

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