SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY: A SCIENTIFIC APPROACH What is a theory? What - - PDF document

SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY: A SCIENTIFIC APPROACH

• What is a theory?
• What does a theory consist of? (e.g. what are the elements of a theory?)

Answer: A theory is a proposition or a set of interrelated propositions that purports to explain a given social phenomenon.

• It is a systematic explanation for the observed facts and laws (or principles) that relate

to a particular aspect of life, for example: juvenile delinquency, social stratification, or political revolution.

• Theories are composed of concepts and statements (e.g. propositions and axioms).

CONCEPTS

• CONCEPTS are the "basic building blocks of theory."

They are abstract elements representing classes of phenomena within the field of study.

• For instance, the concepts relevant to a theory of juvenile delinquency would include

juvenile and delinquency. STATEMENTS

• There are several types of statements which can comprise a theory.
• Principles or laws are one type.
• Axioms are another.
• AXIOMS are fundamental assertions which are assumed to be true, upon which the

theory is grounded.

PROPOSITIONS

• PROPOSITIONS are conclusions drawn about the relationships among concepts, based
• n the logical interrelationships among the axioms.

HYPOTHESES

• HYPOTHESES are specified expectations about empirical reality, derived from

propositions. VARIABLES

• A variable is the empirical counterpart to a concept.

while concepts are within the domain of theory, variables are a matter of observation and measurement.

• A variable is a concept which is measured (usually but not always quantitatively).

It contains two or more values or categories that can vary over time or over a given sample (e.g. age).

THEORY: The Traditional Scientific Approach

• The TRADITIONAL (or classical approach) consists of three stages.
• Stage 1 is what takes place at the conceptual level.

It consists of defining the concepts a writing a proposition stating a relationship between them.

• Stage 2 bridges the gap between the conceptual and empirical levels.

It consists of devising ways to measure the concepts empirically.

• This stage includes writing a testable hypothesis that links the empirical measures of the

two concepts.

• The hypothesis of stage 2 is identical to the proposition of stage 1 except that stage 2 is
• n the empirical level (relates empirical measures) while stage 1 is on the conceptual

level and cannot be tested as it contains no empirical measures.

• Stage three (the final stage) consists of gathering and analyzing data in an attempt to

verify the hypothesis.

THEORETICAL--EMPIRICAL TRANSLATION: EXAMPLE

• Problem (or research question):

Why is there more violence in urban than rural areas?

• Concept (or theoretical variable) #1: density

[Conceptional definitions need to be provided -- I' ve skipped this step.]

• Concept (or theoretical variable) #2: aggression

[Conceptional definitions need to be provided -- I' ve skipped this step.]

• Proposition (or theoretical hypothesis):

Aggression is positively correlated with human density.

• Operational Definitions (variables, empirical variables, or empirical indicators).

density: is measured by the number of people per square kilometre as indicated by the Canada Census. aggression: number of assaults as indicated by police records. Hypothesis (empirical hypothesis, or empirical expectation): The greater the number of people per square kilometre, the greater the number

• f assaults.