Chapter 2

Question 1

What are concepts made out of?

Answer 1

Concepts have two parts: a symbol (a written form or a word) and a definition.

Question 2

What is the relation between a theory and concepts?

Answer 2

Concepts are the building blocks of a theory. Such a theoretical statement cannot be formed or tested without the help of concepts and their built-in meanings and assumptions.

Question 3

What approach begins with a theory and then move towards concrete empirical evidence?

Answer 3

The deductive approach.

Question 4

What approach begins with detailed empirical observations and move toward abstract generalisations?

Answer 4

The inductive approach.

Question 5

What is an empirical generalisation?

Answer 5

An empirical generalisation is the least abstract theoretical statement and has a very narrow range. It represents a simple statement about a pattern or generalisation.

Question 6

What is a middle-range theory?

Answer 6

Middle-range theories are slightly more abstract and they focus on specific substantive topic areas. They include multiple empirical generalisations and build a theoretical explanation.

Question 7

What is a theoretical framework?

Answer 7

A theoretical framework (or paradigm) represents the academic environment within which a theory is formulated. They are often used for comparison among different theories.

Question 8

What is a micro-level theory?

Answer 8

A Micro-level theory deals with small slices of time, space, or numbers of people. The concepts are usually not very abstract.

Question 9

What is a meso-level theory?

Answer 9

A Meso-level theory links macro and micro levels and operates at an intermediate level. Theories of organisations, social movements and communities are often at this level.

Question 10

What is a macro-level theory?

Answer 10

A Macro-level theory concerns the operation of larger aggregates such as social institutions, entire cultural systems, and whole societies. It uses more concepts that are abstract.

Question 11

What is the difference between an explanation and a prediction?

Answer 11

An explanation has more logical power than predictions because good explanations can also predict. A prediction is a statement that something will occur. It is easier to predict than to explain.

Question 12

What forms of explanation are there?

Answer 12

Theoretical, ordinary, causal, structural, interpretative.

Question 13

What is a theoretical explanation?

Answer 13

Theoretical explanation is the focus of researchers as it represents a logical argument that tells why something occurs, referring to a general rule or principle.

Question 14

What is an ordinary explanation?

Answer 14

Ordinary explanations make something clear by describing something in a way that makes it intelligible. It represents what teachers do.

Question 15

What is the first type of causal explanations? -include examples

Answer 15

The first type relies on logic and identifying a necessary cause and/or a sufficient cause. The first represents something that must be present in order for the effect to follow (oxygen is necessary for fire). The second represents something that is enough to trigger the effect (the spark of a match is sufficient to trigger a fire).

Question 16

What is the second type of causal explanations?

Answer 16

The second type relies on patterns. It offers explanations for aggregates and it often states tendencies and regularities of patterns (we can’t explain why Alexia chose medicine, but we can explain why, in some cultures, women tend to choose medicine over mechanics).

Question 17

What is critical for a causal relationship?

Answer 17

The temporal order; the association between two phenomena that occur together and in a patterned way; and the elimination of plausible alternatives, meaning that we need to show that one effect is due to a cause and not something else.

Question 18

What relationships are visible among the cause and the effect?

Answer 18

Positive and negative

Question 19

Define a positive relationship between the cause and the effect.

Answer 19

A positive relationship means that a higher value on the causal variable goes with a higher value on the outcome variable (e.g. the higher the education, the higher the life expectancy).

Question 20

Define a negative relationship between the cause and the effect.

Answer 20

A negative relationship means that a higher value on the causal variable goes with a lower value on the outcome variable (e.g. the more church you attend, the lower the chance for you to be immoral).

Question 21

What is a structural explanation?

Answer 21

It is a type of explanation that uses analogies and a number of concepts to explain a relationship within a theory.

Question 22

What are the types of structural explanation? Define them.

Answer 22

Network theories explain a situation or outcome by outlining a system of interconnected people, organisations or units.
Sequence theories explain a situation or outcome by outlining a set of steps that occur across time.
Functional theories explain a situation or outcome by locating it within a larger social system, often using biological metaphors. They assume that this system will stay in equilibrium and continue over time.

Question 23

What is an interpretative explanation?

Answer 23

Interpretative explanations foster understanding and sometimes build empathy. In such a theory we attempt to discover the meaning of a situation by placing it within a social context.