Learning About Theory Flashcards
“Theoria”
- Greek Word
- All theories are mental models of the perceived reality.
Origin of Theory
- Guess
- Proposition
- Assumption
- Tentative Statements
What is a Theory?
- A concept or idea that is testable
- In Science, theory is not merely a guess.
- A fact - based framework for describing a phenomenon.
- Collections of concepts or set of principles
Function of a Theory?
- Explaining
- Predicting
- Intervening / Controlling
“Theorizing is systematically formulating and organizing ideas to understand a particular phenomenon”
- Doherty and Colleagues
Theorizing is a process of developing ideas that can allow us to explain how and why events occur
- Jonathan H. Turner
Theories are made up of Concepts
Concepts (Surely an Idea)
Theory, Logic, and Research
All have interrelationship with each other.
Theory
Determines what data are to be collected
Research Findings (Data)
Provide challenges to accepted theory
Logical Thinking
Establishes the relationship between theory and research.
Dialectic
- The relationship between theory and research
- Transaction whereby the theory sets boundaries of the phenomenon studied, dimensions, and data to be collected.
Relationship between Theory and Research
- Without research, a theory is just an opinion
- Without theory, a research is just a description
- A theory guides research
Types of Theory
- Commonsense Theory
- Working Theory
- Scholarly Theory
Commonsense Theory
- Created by an individuals own personal experience.
- Often basis for our decisions about how to communicate.
Working Theory
- Generalizations made in particular professions about the best techniques.
Scholarly Theory
- Undergone systematic theory
- Provides more thorough accurate and abstract explanation
- More complex and difficult to understand
Research Approaches
- Inductive (Grounded Theory)
- Deductive Approach
Inductive (Grounded Theory)
- Begins with observations and data
- Begins from specific situations towards a generalized statement.
Deductive Approach
- Starts with a general theory or hypothesis, then test it through specific observations/data.
TCM Thesis
Follow the deductive approach
Diffusion of Innovation Theory (DOI)
- By Everett Rogers
- Explains how, why, and at what rate new ideas and technology spread among cultures.
DOI Theory (5 categories of adopters)
- Innovators (Who adopt early, eager to try new things.
- Early Adopters (influential individuals who adopt soon after the
innovators) - Early Majority (adopt after seeing others, more risk-averse)
- Late Majority (adopt after most others, skeptical)
- Laggards (those who adopt last, often due to skepticism or lack of resources)
Theory Construction
- Start with Hypothesis
- Build propositions by replacing the variables with more general abstractions.
Hypothesis
- Should contain concrete, directly measurable variables
Propositions
- Should contain abstract,
more general statements
The Theory Development Process
- Make a hypothesis.
- Gather data.
- Look for patterns in the data.
- Make proposition based on your hypothesis.
- Develop the theory.
