Chapter 2 - Theories

Question 1

Theories and explanations

What is a Theory schema?

Answer 1

Type of theory tool in which propositions, conditions, hypotheses and observations are written out as a coherent set of verbal statements.

Question 2

Theories and explanations

What is Deductive-nomological explanation?

Answer 2

Form of explanation of phenomena using propositions and conditions.

Question 3

Theories and explanations

When is something a Syllogism?

Answer 3

When the observation can be logically deduced from the proposition and the condition.

P. Propositions
C. Conditions
——————– ^
O. Observation

Question 4

Theories and explanations

What is an Observation/Explanandum?

Answer 4

the fact, pattern or (social) phenomenon that you would like to explain.

Question 5

Theories and explanations

What is a Condition?

Answer 5

An assumption about the specific setting which relates propositions to observations and hypotheses.

Question 6

Theories and explanations

What is a Proposition/Universal statement?

Answer 6

Statement about the causal relations between two or more concepts.

Question 7

Theories and explanations

What is a Hypothesis?

Answer 7

Testable prediction, derived from theory

P. Propositions
C. Conditions
———————– v
H. Hypothesis

Question 8

Theories and explanations

What does the logic rule Modus tollens state?

Answer 8

Logic rule which states that if it is hypothesized that A leads to B, and it is observed that B is not true, then A cannot be true either.

Question 9

Theories and explanations

What is a Theory?

Answer 9

Coherent set of propositions and assumptions about conditions which can explain certain phenomena and which generate hypotheses (predictions) on other (yet unobserved and hypothetical) phenomena.

Question 10

Theories and explanations

What are the two aspects of theory? Explain

2 answers

Answer 10

• Coherence: the propositions and conditions form an interrelated, consistent set, rather than
  a fragmented collection of propositions and conditions which may be partly conflicting as well.
• Explanation and prediction: a theory explains phenomena as well as predicts new phenomena. The combining of a theoretical proposition and certain conditions allows the deduction of hypotheses, which can be either confirmed or not.

Question 11

What are useful sociological theories?

Name the two aspects that determine the usefulness of sociological theories

2 answers

Answer 11

1. Truth
   Empirical success : the degree of empirical confirmation of a theory.
2. Information
   Information content : the degree of theoretical precision and theoretical scope of a theory.

• Theoretical precision: the degree to which the theory excludes possibilities of what could happen with respect to a particular case (the more precise, the more useful).
• Theoretical scope: the degree to which the theory is applicable to a wider range of cases: phenomena, populations and settings (the bigger the scope, the more useful). You can broaden the scope by increasing the range of predictions or by expanding the populations and settings to which it is applicable.

Question 12

Durkheim’s theory of suicide

What Theory did Durkheim introduce?

Answer 12

Durkheim introduced the theory of suicide in relation to group integration. To do this, he used several observations, hypotheses and propositions.

Question 13

Durkheim’s theory of suicide

What is a Deeper explanation?

Hint: type of explanation

Answer 13

Type of explanation in which one proposition is explained by another, more general, proposition.

Question 14

Durkheim’s theory of suicide

What is Scope condition?

Answer 14

Set of conditions to which a certain theory is applicable.

Question 15

Concepts

What is a Concept/theoretical variable?

Answer 15

Hypothetical abstraction that contains certain categories

Question 16

Concepts

What is an Abstraction?

Answer 16

Concepts that *refer to *a number of specific instances.

Question 17

Concepts

What is Hypothetical?

Answer 17

Concepts that are mental constructs, ideas we have about reality, representations of
reality and not reality itself.

Question 18

Concepts

Explain Categories/values

Answer 18

Distinction between things that do and do not belong to the concept (subdivision of concepts).

Question 19

Concepts

Theoretical variables (Concepts) are part of the theory.
Measurement variables are used in empirical research and sociological observations that represent the theoretical concepts.

no answer, just some theory

Answer 19

.

Question 20

Concepts

The definition of a concept must be clear, sufficiently distinctive from other concepts and in line with common standards.

no answer, just some theory

Answer 20

.

Question 21

Concepts

Define Typology

Answer 21

A way of classifying reality, often done by combining concepts.

Typologies and concepts are the building blocks of a theory, but they are not a theory on itself. They don’t answer theoretical questions and don’t contain any propositions.

Question 22

Causality

What is Causality?

Hint: ATN

Answer 22

Idea that an independent variable (X) has an effect on a dependent variable (Y).

1. Association: the independent and the dependent variable must be associated with each other.
2. Time order: the cause should precede the effect.
3. Non-spuriousness: the independent variable must be the only variable that can affect the dependent variable, and nothing else.

Question 23

Causality

What is an Independent variable?

Answer 23

Variable which has an effect on another variable (dependant variable).

Question 24

Causality

What is a Dependant variable?

Answer 24

Variable which is effected by another variable (independent variable).

Question 25

Conceptual models

What is a Theory tool?

Hint: 2 types

Answer 25

Tool which helps to systematically present a theory.

1. Theory Schema
2. Conceptual model: This is a type of theory tool in which the causal relationships between concepts are visualized.

Question 26

Conceptual models

What is Direct causal relationship/direct effect?

Answer 26

A relationship between two variables X and Y, such that changes in X have a direct effect on changes in Y.

Question 27

Conceptual models

What is a Mediator?

Answer 27

A variable Z that mediates the relationship between variables X and Y, such that changes in X impact changes in Z, which then results in changes in Y.

Question 28

Conceptual models

Difference between Complete mediation & Partial mediation?

Answer 28

• Complete mediation: the impact of X on Y is completely accounted for by a third variable Z, such that there is no other way that X affects Y than via Z.
• Partial mediation: the impact of X on Y is partially accounted for by a third variable Z, such that X affects Y via Z, but also via other variables.

Question 29

Conceptual models

What is Bidirectional relation/feedback relation?

Answer 29

Relation between two variables X and Y, such that changes in X result in changes in Y, and changes in Y result in changes in X

Question 30

Conceptual models

What is Moderation effect/interaction effect?

Answer 30

The relationship between X and Y is partially dependent on variable Z.

Question 31

What is a Formal Model?

Answer 31

Punishment for behavior diverging from legal norms.