Primer in Theory Construction An A&B Classics Edition [Paperback]

A Primer in Theory Constructionis for those who have already studied one or more of the social, behavioral, or natural sciences, but have no formal introduction to the way theories are constructed, stated, tested, and connected together to form a scientific body of knowledge. The author discusses scientific theories in general terms, but also addresses the special challenges of developing scientific knowledge about social and human phenomena.

This Allyn and Bacon Classics Edition contains the complete text of the original copyright 1971 version, with new typography and page design.

INTRODUCTION&nbsp; For What Should Scientific Knowledge Be Useful?&nbsp; Typologies, Prediction and Explanation, Sense of Understanding, Control&nbsp; Theory&nbsp; How Does a Concept or Statement Become Part of a Scientific&nbsp; Body of Knowledge?&nbsp; Desirable Characteristics of Scientific Knowledge--Abstractness,&nbsp; Intersubjectivity (Meaning), Intersubjectivity (Logical Rigor), Empirical&nbsp; Relevance&nbsp; Summary and Conclusion&nbsp; 2. THE IDEA&nbsp; Kuhn Paradigms&nbsp; Example: Freud's Theory of Personality&nbsp; Paradigms&nbsp; Examples: Heider's Balance Theory; Two Conceptions&nbsp; Of Status Structures: Elitist and Pluralistic&nbsp; Paradigm Variations&nbsp; Examples: Variations on the Freudian&nbsp; Conception of Personality; Variations on Heider's Balance Theory&nbsp; Identifying Paradigms&nbsp; Conclusion&nbsp; 3. CONCEPTS&nbsp; Definition of Concepts&nbsp; Abstract vs. Concrete Concepts&nbsp; Concept Measurement&nbsp; Quantification of Concepts--The Nominal Level, The Ordinal Level, The&nbsp; Interval Level, General Comments on Quantification&nbsp; 4. STATEMENTS&nbsp; Existence Statements&nbsp; Relational Statements--Associational Statements, Casual Statements,&nbsp; Deterministic and Probabilistic Statements&lÃ<