A sociologist conducts interviews and direct observations and finds that individuals often share similar subjective experiences despite differing backgrounds. What underlying cause might explain this phenomenon?

The sociologist's findings suggest that people can have similar feelings and experiences even if they come from different backgrounds. This might be because human emotions and reactions are shaped by universal factors like family, culture, or shared life events. For example, two people from different countries might both feel sadness after losing a loved one, even though their customs around grief may differ. These shared experiences highlight the common threads of humanity that connect us all, regardless of our unique backgrounds. Therefore, qualitative research methods, like interviews and observations, help uncover these deeper emotional connections that might not be visible through numbers alone.