r7 - sociology

"[W]e argue that it is time for these methods to be fully integrated into sociology’s research process"
Is data visualization used for confirming theories or for exploring them?

Would/could too much of a heavy focus on two-dimensional data and visualization distract the research process of sociology, which could require a more dimensional process?

Should the complex data models be accessible to the public? How would you differentiate between data that is used to confirm, explore, and present?