Lecture 3 - Theory Development & Analysis Flashcards
How does metatheory influence grand-theory?
Metatheory clarifies grand-theory
How does grand theory affect other levels of theory?
Grand theory provides material for metatheory and guides middle-range.
How does Middle-range theory affect other levels of theory?
Middle Range theory refines grand theory and directs practice-theory
How does practice theory affect middle-range theory?
Practice-theory tests middle-range theories in practice
What is metatheory?
“The theory of theory”
–> Philosophical foundation for the development of theory
What is grand theory? What kinds of concepts does it analyze?
Broad and nonspecific
–> Examines larger concepts such as caring, personhood, existence
What do grand-theories contribute to?
The historical perspective of nursing and reflect on the time and context from which they were developed
What are middle-range theories? What is the purpose?
Less abstract, narrowing scope.
–> Addresses specific nursing situation. Specific enough to guide research and practice, yet sufficiently general to cross multiple clinical populations
What is the purpose of practice-theory?
Very specific and narrow
–> Addresses specific clinical situations
Does each level of nursing theory describe, predict, explain, or prescribe?
Metatheory - encompasses all others and describes. May also explain relationships.
Grand - Often explains
Middle - Often explains and predicts
Micro - Prescribes, may also predict.
Note that although it is generally true that theories become more prescriptive as they become more concrete in scope, many theories can fall into multiple categories depending on its purpose in a specific context.
Metatheory describes concepts and factors for all other nursing theories. What is meant by this?
Metatheories enlighten our understanding and aim to observe and describe what is seen. It names concepts.
Grand theories can explain concepts and factors, guiding the way for the development of middle range theories. What is meant by this?
Explanatory theories aim to relate concepts to one another and describe their relationships
Middle range and micro-theories often make predictions about practice and outcomes. What is meant by prediction?
To outline the conditions under which concepts are related, and to then make relational statements to predict future outcomes.
duh
Micro or practice range theories are often concerned with making prescriptions about practice. What is meant by this?
Control and manipulation of variables - prescribing activities to reach a defined goal.
What is the cycle of development in nursing science?
Nursing practice –> Research –> Theory –> Practice
What is a borrowed or shared theory in nursing? What is its origin and basis?
Theory-practice-theory
–> An existing non-nursing theory is useful for nurses but incomplete for our context. It it broken down for parts and redefined in a way that is useful for the discipline.
What is grounded theory? What is its origin and basis?
Practice-Theory
–> Existing theories are not useful in describing the phenomena of interest so researched observe it in practice and recognize concepts and patterns between them. A new theory is built from the ground up.
What is a scientific theory? What is its origin and basis?
Research-theory
–> Researcher determines patterns of a phenomena and formalized patters as theoretical statements confirmed through research.
What is theory testing? What is its origin and basis?
Theory-Research-Theory
–> Theory drives research questions and the research modifies the theory.
What is deductive reasoning?
Top-Down
–> Theory to hypothesis to observation to confirmation or rejection
Note that prof states that post-positivism is deductive, I think d/t hypothesis statements
What is inductive reasoning?
Bottom-Up
–> Observation to pattern recognition to a tentative hypothesis to theory
According to prof, what kind of reasoning generates more research bias?
Deductive
–> Theory generated from a set of pre-existing assumptions
What are the steps of theory development, according to Walker and Avant?
- Identify and Define Concepts
- Statement - Describing Relationships
- Theory Construction (Linkages, assumptions, contexts)
- Testing Relationships Through Research (through research or practice)
What are the seven steps of Walker & Avant’s theory analysis?
- Origin of Theory
- Meaning of the theory - concepts, statements, audience/context
- Logical Adequacy
- Usefulness
- Degree of generalizability
- Parsimony
- Testability + Relevance to practice
What did Wilson (2017) determine through analysis of the Moral Distress Theory?
A new theory is warranted to predict, treat, and manage moral distress.
