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