1. 4. Theory & Social Research
Jin-Wan Seo, Professor
Dept. of Public Administration,
University of Incheon

2. 4. Theory & Social Research
Elements of Theory
Theory
A systematic explanation for the observations that relate to a particular aspect of life.
Interrelationship between ___________ (variables)
Fact A
Fact B
Abstraction of ____________________applicable to the reality in general S O R 1

3. 4. Theory & Social Research
Fact vs. Value
Fact
Value
Things and phenomena justified empirically
Things and phenomena which should be justified empirically
Things and phenomena existed
Through empirically, verifiable observation
Things before justification
Belief/Faith & Ideology
Logical belief – good/bad, right/wrong
For “Scope & methods”
For “Philosophical Methods”
Value-free; Fact-oriented
Concerned with ___________________
All knowledges are from experience, observation, and verification.
Reality is ___________________!
Value-laden/metaphysics
Concerned with eternal or essential nature of reality.
We can not know anything simply from the fact and experiences.
Reality is certain! 1

4. 4. Theory & Social Research
Variable
Logical groupings of attributes. The variable gender is made up of the attributes male and female.
Definitions
_________________: A variable with values that are not problematical in an analysis but are taken as simply given. An independent variable is presumed to cause or determine a dependent variable. => variable by which to explain phenomena
________________: A variable assumed to depend on or be caused by another (called the independent variable). => variable to be explained
Attributes: Characteristics of persons or things 1

5. 4. Theory & Social Research
Variables & Attributes
Both variables and attributes represent social concepts.
__________ are sets of related values or attributes 1

6. 4. Theory & Social Research
Defining facts
Setting Causality  relationship between facts (_________)  Model
Abstraction of Theory (__________________)
Objectification of theory
Fact A
Fact B
S(fact A)
O (fact C)
R (fact B)
Feedback (fact D) 1

7. 4. Theory & Social Research
Three Main Elements of Research
Theory
Scientists begin with a theory, from which they derive testable hypothesis
Operationalization
To test any hypothesis, the meanings of all the variables involved in it in observational turns should be specified.
How to measure the variables – ___________________
Specifying the exact operations involved in measuring a variable
Observation
The final step in the traditional model of science
Looking at the way things are, in order to confirm the hypothesis. 1

8. 4. Theory & Social Research
Traditional Model of Science
Traditional Model of Science
= __________________________
From a general theoretical understanding,
the researcher derives (deduces) an expectation
and finally a testable hypothesis. 1

9. 4. Theory & Social Research
Deductive & Inductive Methods 1

10. 4. Theory & Social Research
1. Deductive Theory Construction
Getting Started
1st step: to pick a topic that interests you.
2nd step: to undertake an inventory of what is already known or thought about it.
Constructing your theory
Specify ____________.
Specify the range of phenomena your theory addresses. Will your theory apply to all of human social life, will it apply only to Korean citizens, only to young people, or what?
Identify and specify your major concepts and variables.
Find out what is known (___________) about the relationships among those variables.
Reason logically from those propositions to the specific topic you are examining. 1

11. 4. Theory & Social Research
2. Inductive Theory Construction
Getting Started
1st step: to observe aspects of social life
2nd step: to seek to discover __________ that may point to relatively universal principles.
Field research
Field research is frequently used to develop theories through observation.
In a long and rich tradition, anthropologists have used his method to good advantage. 1

12. 4. Theory & Social Research
Links between Theory & Research
In the __________ model, research is used to test theories.
In the ________ model, theories are developed from the analysis of research data. 1