Table
of Contents
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PART I |
BASIC CONCEPTS |
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1 |
Introduction |
3 |
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Organization of the Book |
4 |
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Theories and Settings |
5 |
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2 |
The Nature of Understanding |
6 |
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The Nature of Reality |
7 |
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Concepts: The Building Blocks of Understanding |
10 |
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Conceptual Systems: The Bases for Deeper Understanding |
14 |
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Communication |
16 |
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Summary and Concluding Comments |
18 |
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3 |
Science as an Approach to Understanding |
22 |
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Socially Based Approaches to Understanding |
22 |
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The Essentials of Scientific Endeavor |
26 |
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The Process of Theory Construction |
28 |
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Characteristics of a Good Theory |
31 |
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Science and Objectivity |
33 |
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Summary and Concluding Comments |
33 |
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PART II |
CORE PROCESSES |
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4 |
Creativity and the Generation of Ideas |
39 |
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One Small Step for Science |
40 |
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Creativity |
40 |
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Choosing What to Theorize About |
45 |
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Literature Reviews |
47 |
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Heuristics for Generating Ideas |
47 |
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Scientists on Scientific Theorizing |
68 |
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Summary and Concluding Comments |
71 |
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5 |
Focusing Concepts |
75 |
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The Process of Instantiation |
75 |
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Shared Meaning, Surplus Meaning, and Nomological
Networks |
78 |
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Practical Strategies for Specifying Conceptual Definitions |
79 |
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Multidimensional Constructs |
82 |
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Creating Constructs |
84 |
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An Example of Specifying Conceptual Definitions |
85 |
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Operationism |
87 |
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Summary and Concluding Comments |
88 |
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6 |
Clarifying Relationships Using
Thought Experiments |
91 |
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Thought Experiments for Relationships in Grounded and Emergent
Theory |
92 |
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Describing Relationships with Different Types of Variables |
93 |
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Thought Experiments for Relationships between Categorical
Variables |
94 |
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Thought Experiments for Relationships between Quantitative
Variables |
98 |
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Thought Experiments for Relationships between Categorical and
Quantitative Variables |
110 |
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Thought Experiments for Moderated Relationships |
114 |
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Broader Uses of Hypothetical Factorial Designs in Thought
Experiments |
122 |
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Summary and Concluding Comments |
126 |
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Appendix 6A |
Thought Experiments for a Quantitative Cause and
Categorical Effect: A Hypothetical Contingency Table Method |
131 |
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Appendix 6B |
Thought Experiments for Moderated Moderation |
133 |
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PART III |
FRAMEWORKS FOR THEORY CONSTRUCTION |
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7 |
Causal Models |
137 |
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Two Types of Relationships: Predictive and Causal |
138 |
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Causality and Grounded/Emergent Theory |
141 |
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Types of Causal Relationships |
141 |
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Constructing Theories with Causal Relationships |
145 |
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Identifying Outcome Variables |
145 |
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Identifying Direct Causes |
146 |
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Indirect Causal Relationships |
146 |
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Moderated Causal Relationships |
150 |
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Reciprocal or Bidirectional Causality |
153 |
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Spurious Relationships |
155 |
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Unanalyzed Relationships |
158 |
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Expanding the Theory Further |
159 |
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Perspectives on the Construction of Causal Theories |
169 |
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Summary and Concluding Comments |
172 |
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8 |
Mathematical Modeling |
177 |
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Types of Variables: Categorical, Discrete, and Continuous |
178 |
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Axioms and Theorems |
179 |
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Functions |
179 |
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Linear Functions |
180 |
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Deterministic versus Stochastic Models |
185 |
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Model Parameters |
186 |
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Rates and Change: Derivatives and Differentiation |
187 |
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Describing Accumulation: Integrals and Integration |
190 |
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Just-Identified, Overidentified, and Underidentified
Models |
191 |
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Metrics |
192 |
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Types of Nonlinearity |
193 |
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Functions for Categorical Variables |
203 |
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Advanced Topics: Manipulating and Combining Functions |
205 |
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Multiple Variable Functions |
208 |
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Phases in Building a Mathematical Model |
209 |
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An Example Using Performance, Ability, and Motivation |
210 |
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An Example Using Cognitive Algebra |
214 |
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An Example Using Attitude Change |
237 |
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An Example Using a Traditional Causal Model |
220 |
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Chaos Theory |
222 |
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Catastrophe Theory |
225 |
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Additional Examples of Mathematical Models in the Social Sciences |
226 |
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Emergent Theory Construction and Mathematical Models |
227 |
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Summary and Concluding Comments |
227 |
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Appendix 8A |
SPSS Code for Exploring Distribution Properties |
232 |
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Appendix 8B |
Additional Modeling Issues for the Performance, Motivation
and Ability Example |
234 |
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9 |
Simulation as a Theory
Development Method |
237 |
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Defining Simulations |
238 |
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The Uses of Research Simulations |
239 |
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The Difference between Simulations and Laboratory Experiments |
239 |
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Basic Simulation Varieties |
241 |
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The Analysis of Criterion Systems as a Basis for Theory
Construction |
243 |
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Simulations and Virtual Experiments |
251 |
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Agent-Based Modeling |
251 |
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Resources for Conducting Simulations |
253 |
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Summary and Concluding Comments |
253 |
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10 |
Grounded and Emergent Theory |
256 |
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Grounded and Emergent Theory: An Overview |
257 |
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Positivism “versus” Constructivism |
258 |
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Framing the Problem |
259 |
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The Role of Past Literature |
260 |
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Collecting Qualitative Data |
261 |
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Memo Writing |
268 |
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Theoretical Sampling |
269 |
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Analyzing and Coding Data |
269 |
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The Statistical Exploration of Relationships |
275 |
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Process Analysis in Emergent Theorizing |
276 |
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Moving to Theoretical Statements: Using Principles of Rhetoric |
277 |
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Summary and Concluding Comments |
281 |
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Appendix 10A |
The Limits of Information Processing |
288 |
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11 |
Historically Influential Systems
of Thought |
295 |
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Grand Theories |
296 |
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Frameworks Using Metaphors |
307 |
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Frameworks Emphasizing Stability and Change |
312 |
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Psychological Frameworks |
314 |
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Frameworks Inspired by Methodology |
318 |
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Summary and Concluding Comments |
324 |
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PART IV |
CONCLUDING ISSUES |
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12 |
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331 |
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Reading about Theories in Outlets Emphasizing Theory Tests and
Confirmatory Approaches to Science |
331 |
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Reading about Theories in Outlets Emphasizing Grounded/Emergent
Theory |
334 |
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Writing about Theories |
337 |
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Grant Proposals, Technical Reports, and Presentations |
344 |
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Summary and Concluding Comments |
345 |
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Appendix 12A |
Inferring Theoretical Relationships from the Choice of
Statistical Tests |
347 |
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13 |
Epilogue |
355 |
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Competing Theories |
355 |
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Post Hoc Theorizing |
355 |
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Influential Science |
356 |
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Careers and Creative Theorizing in Science |
357 |
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Scientific Paradigms |
360 |
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A Program of Self-Study |
361 |
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Concluding Comments |
363 |
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References |
365 |
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Author Index |
379 |
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Subject Index |
385 |
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About the Authors |
391 |
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