Chapter 4 Flashcards
●Used to generalize beyond a specific situation and to make predictions about what should happen in other similar situations.
Theory
allow us to speculate on why and how things work.
Theories
Purposes of Theories
●Summarize existing knowledge to explain observable events.
●Allow us to predict what should occur.
●Stimulate the development of new knowledge.
●Provide the basis for asking a question in applied research.
Components of Theories
Concepts, constructs, prepositions
abstractions that allow us to classify natural phenomena and empirical observations.
Concepts
concepts that can be assigned values so their relationships can be examined
Variables
abstract concepts that are not observable (latent traits).
Constructs
generalized statements that assert the theoretical linkages between concepts.
Propositions
A simplified approximation of a process or a structure
Models
Types of models
physical models, process models, and quantitative models
Theory Development includes what two types of reasoning
Deductive
Inductive
the acceptance of a general proposition and subsequent inferences that can be drawn.
Deductive reasoning
Deductive reasoning involves
•Intuitive
•Going from broad to specific
logic that develops generalization from specific observations
Inductive reasoning
Inductive reasoning involves
•Searching for patterns
•Going from specific to broad
•Can never be proven or completely refuted
•Not directly testable
Theory
Tested to demonstrate if the theory holds in certain circumstances; can be supported or not supported
Hypothesis
Theories should be
•Rational
•Testable
•Economical
•Relevant
•Adaptable
•Results of studies can be used to build theories (inductive)
•Theories can be used to develop hypotheses for testing in studies (deductive)
•Implicit and explicit relationship to research questions
Research
•Theories guide clinical decisions
•Treatment outcomes can support theories
Practice
Scope of theories
Middle-range theories
Grand theories
Meta-theory
Laws
form a bridge between theory and empirical observations
Middle-range theories
more comprehensive; tries to explain phenomena at the societal level
Grand theories
used to reconcile several theoretical perspectives
Meta-theory
derived when theories reach a level of absolute consistency; mostly observed in physical science
Laws
Newton’s laws of motion is an example of
Laws
