Stam’s (2010) view of theory as a systematic representation of critical problems. Systematic observations are developing explanations of problems, describing different strategies, and providing outcomes. A theory is an observation and unified hypotheses, a cycle of statements, or a pictorial model, and specific methods in yielding results of said process. Theories are used as a construct in researcher work to explain a phenomenon. Practitioners utilized theory based on observation and frame the problem in an actual practice environment. According to Stam (2007), a theory is a systematic arrangement of knowledge useful for problem solving, in clarifying these different observable truths. The usefulness of theories used by practitioners is
First of all, through this assignment, I have learned that a theory is an interrelated set of concepts and propositions, organized into deductive systems that explain relationships among different aspects. It is an overall explanation of the person in environment configuration, and helps explain why a problem is occurring. It will also provide a social worker with a set of ideas that will help the social worker get a better understanding of the problem. In addition, there are many different theories, and perspectives that are used in the social work field to empower people and to promote a positive society for all. This particular case is associated with bio-psychosocial approach
There are many definitions to theory. According to Akers (2009) “theories are tentative answers to the commonly asked questions about events and behavior” (Akers, (2009, p. 1). Theory is a set of interconnect statements that explain how two or more things are related in two casual fashions, based upon a confirmed hypotheses and established multiple times by disconnected groups of researchers.
Theories can help explain why a problem is occurring and where the most effective intervention should take place. Theories can be obtained from research and from facts. According to Michael Tropeano “a theory is a statement backed by evidence gathered through the scientific method intended to explain something. Theoretical approaches for social work are often used to explain human behavior and serve as starting points for practice models and treatments.”
Theoretical framework provides scientific justification a rationale for doing a research and investigating a research problem. theoretical framework provides the structure that guides a study. The theoretical framework helps reduce biases and helps the reader understand the researcher’s perspective and context. (Webster, J., & Watson, R. T., 2002).
five main theory groups. The theory groups are psychodynamic, biological, cognitive, behavioral, and systems. Each theory group has many contributing theorists, all with different views, beliefs, research methods, and life experiences. All theories are valuable in the field of psychology, however some theories may prove to be more helpful than others, in specific careers. There are some theoretical approaches that I will utilize while working with school-aged children and others that I will discard.
Walker, L. O., & Avant, K. C. (1995). Strategies for theory construction in nursing (3rd ed.). Norwalk, CT:
However, Grounded Theory is identified as ?a qualitative research design in which inquirer generates a general explanation (a theory) of a process, an action, or an interaction shaped by the views of a large number of
Validity is essentially the degree to which a conception is founded and parallels accurately to the real world. Validity is the tool that measures what the particular research was anticipated to measure (Schmitt & Brown, 2012). There are several different types of validity but the ones that will be discussed in this paper are concurrent and predictive. Concurrent validity is taking an already validated point and testing it with another measurement tool. This means that there was already a hypothesis proven right or wrong and now the researcher will be testing this same hypothesis but will being using another type of tool to see if the result...
A theory can be defined as systematically developed assumptions, principles, and rules devised to analyze, predict or otherwise explain the nature or behavior of a specified set of phenomena. People have always s...
There are six elements that make a theory sound. These elements are scientific criteria provide whether or not the theories are scientific. The most important of these elements is empirical validity, which uses evidence to confirm or disprove a theory and have criteria for interpreting data as factual, irregular or unrelated. The other major elements include internal logical consistency, scope and parsimony, testability, and usefulness and policy implication. A theory must be logically consistent. In order to be so, it must have clearly defined concepts, have logically stated and internally consistent propositions. If a theory contains pointless ideas or is inconsistent, it can't really explain anything. Scope refers to the assortment of events that it propositions to explain.
Mitchell, M. L. & Jolley, J. M. (2004). Advantages of using theory to generate ideas. Retrieved from http://psy1.clarion.edu/mm/StudyRDE/Web_Appendixes/Theory _Appendix/Using_Theory.htm
Walker, L. O. & Avant, K. C. (2011). Strategies for theory construction in nursing. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
However, Grounded Theory can be identified as ‘a qualitative research design in which inquirer generates a general explanation (a theory) of a process, an action, or an interaction shaped by the views of a large
Theories are models that explain how the world works. They are often used as tools for analysis. Theories emerge at particular times and places offering contextual explanations for their emergence and the dominant forces (Denemark 1997:45).
The word theory emanated from the Greek word meaning “contemplate” It has been viewed by scholars in different ways. Theory can be defined literally as an explanation of phenomena and its associations with variables that it is attempting to predict. There are no general agreed definitions of theory because scholar’s views of what constitute theory differ based on the purpose, nature and what make up of a good theory (Gelso, 2006; Harlow, 2009; Stam, 2007, 2010; and Wacker 1998). For instance, Wacker, (1998), pointed out that a theory must have four basic criteria such as conceptual definitions, domain limitations, relationship-building, and predictions. He, also, opined that for any theory to be regarded as a good theory, it must have qualities for `good ' theory, such as “uniqueness, parsimony, conservation, generalizability, fecundity, internal consistency, empirical riskiness, and abstraction, which apply to all research methods” (p.364). Stam (2010) interpreted theory as ...