The Construction And Empirical Test Of A Theory Based On Selected Variables In Small-Group Interaction. - Page 24 |
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1 9
two m easurem ents i n such a way t h a t (2) t h e v a l u e s of one
ca n be s u b s t i t u t e d i n t h e " t r u e " laws f o r t h e o t h e r , r e t a i n ing
t h e same c o n s t a n t s i n t h e la w s , and s t i l l r e s u l t i n
" t r u e " l a w s . ^
In t h i s s t u d y , a l l c o n c e p t s t o be u se d i n t h e t h e o r y
w i l l e v e n t u a l l y be o p e r a t i o n a l l y d e f i n e d . T h ese o p e r a t i o n a l
d e f i n i t i o n s a r e t o be c o n s i d e r e d p a r t i a l i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s o f
t h e c o n c e p t s of t h e t h e o r y f o r t h e i r p a r t i c u l a r measurement
domain, s i n c e t h e r e w i l l alw a y s r e m a i n a p o s s i b i l i t y o f add
i t i o n a l i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s . T h i s l e a v e s open t h e o p p o r t u n i t y
f o r a d d i t i o n a l i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s of e a c h c o n c e p t f o r t h e same
and o t h e r dom ains by means of c o n v e r s i o n f o r m u l a e , s h o u ld
t h e s e be e m p i r i c a l l y d e t e r m i n e d .
I t may be n o te d from t h e d i s c u s s i o n above t h a t in
e s t a b l i s h i n g meaning f o r t h e o r e t i c a l c o n c e p t s , t h e t r a d i t
i o n a l d ic h o to m y b etw e en d e f i n i t i o n a l and e m p i r i c a l s t a t e ments
becomes b l u r r e d . F o rm e rly d e f i n i t i o n was t h o u g h t of
( e x c e p t i n t h e a r c h a i c s e n s e o f " r e a l d e f i n i t i o n " ) a s b e in g
s t r i c t l y a r b i t r a r y and c o n v e n t i o n a l . Under t h e i o g i c of
p a r t i a l i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s d e s c r i b e d a b o v e , two d i f f e r e n t o p e r a
t i o n a l d e f i n i t i o n s may be s a i d t o be d e f i n i t i o n s o f t h e
same c o n c e p t , n o t b e c a u s e of a l o g i c a l c o n n e c t i o n b etw e e n
t h e two d e f i n i t i o n s * b u t b e c a u s e o f a s p e c i f i c t y p e of
17F o r t h e d e v e lo p m e n t o f t h e l o g i c s u p p o r t i n g t h e s e
c r i t e r i a , s e e May B ro a d b e c k , "Models, Meaning, and Theor
i e s , " i n G r o s s , 0 £ . c i t . . p p . 3 4 8 -7 2 .
Object Description
Description
| Title | The Construction And Empirical Test Of A Theory Based On Selected Variables In Small-Group Interaction. - Page 24 |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Full text | 1 9 two m easurem ents i n such a way t h a t (2) t h e v a l u e s of one ca n be s u b s t i t u t e d i n t h e " t r u e " laws f o r t h e o t h e r , r e t a i n ing t h e same c o n s t a n t s i n t h e la w s , and s t i l l r e s u l t i n " t r u e " l a w s . ^ In t h i s s t u d y , a l l c o n c e p t s t o be u se d i n t h e t h e o r y w i l l e v e n t u a l l y be o p e r a t i o n a l l y d e f i n e d . T h ese o p e r a t i o n a l d e f i n i t i o n s a r e t o be c o n s i d e r e d p a r t i a l i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s o f t h e c o n c e p t s of t h e t h e o r y f o r t h e i r p a r t i c u l a r measurement domain, s i n c e t h e r e w i l l alw a y s r e m a i n a p o s s i b i l i t y o f add i t i o n a l i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s . T h i s l e a v e s open t h e o p p o r t u n i t y f o r a d d i t i o n a l i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s of e a c h c o n c e p t f o r t h e same and o t h e r dom ains by means of c o n v e r s i o n f o r m u l a e , s h o u ld t h e s e be e m p i r i c a l l y d e t e r m i n e d . I t may be n o te d from t h e d i s c u s s i o n above t h a t in e s t a b l i s h i n g meaning f o r t h e o r e t i c a l c o n c e p t s , t h e t r a d i t i o n a l d ic h o to m y b etw e en d e f i n i t i o n a l and e m p i r i c a l s t a t e ments becomes b l u r r e d . F o rm e rly d e f i n i t i o n was t h o u g h t of ( e x c e p t i n t h e a r c h a i c s e n s e o f " r e a l d e f i n i t i o n " ) a s b e in g s t r i c t l y a r b i t r a r y and c o n v e n t i o n a l . Under t h e i o g i c of p a r t i a l i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s d e s c r i b e d a b o v e , two d i f f e r e n t o p e r a t i o n a l d e f i n i t i o n s may be s a i d t o be d e f i n i t i o n s o f t h e same c o n c e p t , n o t b e c a u s e of a l o g i c a l c o n n e c t i o n b etw e e n t h e two d e f i n i t i o n s * b u t b e c a u s e o f a s p e c i f i c t y p e of 17F o r t h e d e v e lo p m e n t o f t h e l o g i c s u p p o r t i n g t h e s e c r i t e r i a , s e e May B ro a d b e c k , "Models, Meaning, and Theor i e s , " i n G r o s s , 0 £ . c i t . . p p . 3 4 8 -7 2 . |
