Social Theories

Question 1

What does a theory start with?

Answer 1

Observation

Question 2

What are 3 major distinctions between scientific & everyday theories?

Answer 2

sceintific theories are updated in light of new evidence, falsifiable, logically consistent

Question 3

Factual vs logical consistency

Answer 3

2 statements can be true at the same time if they do not contradict each other

Question 4

Types of concepts

Answer 4

1. variable vs not variable
2. dimension vs type
3. unidimensional vs multidimensional
4. concrete vs abstract

Question 5

What are the types of approaches?

Answer 5

deductive and inductive

Question 6

Range of theory

Answer 6

empirical generalisation, middle-range theory, theoretical framework

Question 7

What do theories explain?

Answer 7

RELATIONS between concepts

Question 8

Levels of theory

Answer 8

Micro, Meso, Macro

Question 9

Types of explanations

Answer 9

causal= involve cause-effect relation
interpretative= aims at understanding and emphatizing
structural= focus on part of the object
prediction is not an explanation; you can predict something without explaining it