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Chapter 2 Theory and Social Research
Chapter 2
Theory and SocialResearch
• Theory – Systematic– Well formulated – Empirically tested – Newspaper articles or television reports on
social issues- unstated social theories
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What Is Social Theory?
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What Is Social Theory?
– Family are strongest when they have • Resources (income, education, housing, maturity,
respect etc.)• And low stress (constant employment, happy
marriage, good health, etc). • Blame Analysis
– Not Theory
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What Is Social Theory?
– Moral– Legal claim – Ideological – Intention– Society is facing a moral decay leading to
divorce, women working outside the home• And loss of the “traditional family”
The Parts of Theory
• Concept – Symbol– Definition– Example: Height– Concept clusters– Classification concepts
– Ideal type
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The Parts of Theory
– Classifications– Ideal type– Scope
• Assumptions• Relationships
– Hypothesis– Proposition
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Example Box 2.1: Max Weber’s Ideal Type of Bureaucracy
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The Aspects of Theory
• Direction of Theorizing– Deductive-- Deductive approach to theory
• Example of the Deductive Approach– Inductive
• Grounded theory• Example of Inductive Approach
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Figure 2.1: Deductive and Inductive Theorizing
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Expansion Box 2.1: What Is Grounded Theory?
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The Aspects of Theory
– Range of Theory• Empirical generalization
– Empirical Generalization Examples• Middle-range theory
– Middle-Range Theory Examples• Theoretical frameworks
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Example Box 2.1: Levels of Theory in Three Studies• Theoretical Framework
– Kalmijn; Ayers et al; Hein and Moore• Middle-Range Substantive Theory
– Ayers et al; Hein and Moore• Empirical Generalization
– Kalmijn; Ayers et al; Hein and Moore
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The Aspects of Theory
• Levels of Theory– Micro-level theory – Macro-level theory – Meso-level theory
• Forms of Explanation– Prediction and Explanation
• Theoretical explanation
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• Ordinary explanation• Causal Explanation
– Temporal order– Association– Correlation– Eliminating alternatives– No spuriousness
The Aspects of Theory
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The Aspects of Theory
• Structural Explanation– Network theories– Sequence theories
» Sequential Theory Example– Functional theories
» Functional Theory Example• Interpretive Explanation
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Expansion Box 2.2: Major Theoretical Frameworks- Sociology
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• Three Ways to Eliminate Alternative Causes in Causal Explanations– Design Controls– Control Variables– Logical Controls
• Example of Network Theory
Expansion and Example Boxes 2.3
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Figure 2.2: Association of Income and Race
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• Positivist Approach– Replication; nomothetic.
• Interpretive Approach– Idiographic; verstehen
• Critical Approach– Praxis
The Three Major Approaches to Social Science
The Dynamic Duo
• Theory frames how we look at and think about a topic
• Theory has a place in virtually all research
• Theory does not remain fixed over time
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