KRM310
Example
Case
STUDY UNIT 1: ROLE OF THEORY
The Structure of Theories
A theory (DEFINITION) = highly organized statement of basic
assumptions and logically interrelated assertations about the
phenomenon or class of phenomena under study, which attempt to
describe, predict, explain, and control subject matter.
Theories are often abstract and complex –
o Abstract means:
It consists of statements that generally are dissociated
from any material objects, specific circumstances,
facts, or observations.
Cons –
It tends to confuse the uninitiated, especially
criminology (scientific study of crime and
criminals) newcomers.
Detractors describe theories as lacking
correctness, statements that purport to tell us
about crime generally may not directly assist
those responsible for reducing crime.
Theorists sometimes fail to concern themselves
with practical applications of their abstract
statements.
Pros –
, Assertations in theories must go beyond
immediate time and place. Extent to which theory
is tied to particular set of events/people may help
us understand what is happening here and now
but this correctness limits the theory’s ability to
provide same types of insight for other
places/time/people.
Correctness vs abstractness explains why most info
obtained from media/other individualistic, unsystematic
observations yields few insights applicable beyond set
of circumstances.
Assumptions and Assertions: Building Blocks of Theories
Complexity of theories lies in assumptions and assertations (what
does a theory assume about human beings and human
behaviour?).
Theory’s assumptions are beyond testing (they constitute the
theory’s core belief system), assumptions are taken as given and
are either rejected or accepted but they are not generally subject
to testing/modification.
Once assumptions are stated, understood, and accepted, the next
task is to consider assertations (theoretical
assertations/relationships they imply, must be testable).
If assertions are incapable of being evaluated in the real world,
then it is not a theory and rather an ideology or theology (strongly
held beliefs that are not subject to testing/critical review.
Many theorists refer to their assertions as propositions
(generalized statements about relationships) –
, o Verifiable propositions, ones that receive consistent and
strong support when tested are called laws.
o Propositions still subject to study or for which body the body
of research is less compelling are called hypotheses.
Strategies for the Scientific Enterprise
Any explanation of crime that aspires to the level of theory requires
an application of scientific enterprise, whose principles include a
series of processes and products.
Deductive research (theory testing studies):
o Work based on past theorization that leads to research
questions/testable hypotheses.
Inductive research (theory-building studies):
o Allows data to speak for itself, providing findings that may
emerge as theory.
o Empirical generalization.
Criminologists are guided by design research and adopt a single
mode of observation and collect:
o Qualitative data (non-numerical examinations and
interpretations of observations intended to reveal the object
of study’s essence or basic nature).
o Quantitative data (numerical examinations and manipulations
of observations intended to express the object of study in
terms of accurate numerical equivalents).
Goals of Theory
Theory as description –
, o Statements embodied in the theory mesh with what we know
about crime and criminals.
o Descriptions must have high levels of accuracy, reliability
and validity.
o “What is it?”
Theory as explanation –
o “Why is it?”
o Explanations suggest deeper penetration into the problem of
crime compared to single description.
o Account for the very being of things under study and provide
reasons that such phenomena as crimes exist.
o Any theory that fails to explain, contributed little to theoretical
enterprise.
Theory as prediction –
o Shifts emphasis, predication (act of foretelling or making
know beforehand) emphasizes time.
o Prediction involves identifying when something will occur by
specificizing the conditions conductive to its occurrence.
o “When is it?”
o Social, behavioural, and physical scientists often express
prediction in probabilistic terms (likeliness that, given a set of
conditions, some event will occur).
o Rarely 0% or 100%.
Theory of control –
o Problematic for criminologists as they view themselves as
value-free observers of social world and not providers of
solutions.
Example
Case
STUDY UNIT 1: ROLE OF THEORY
The Structure of Theories
A theory (DEFINITION) = highly organized statement of basic
assumptions and logically interrelated assertations about the
phenomenon or class of phenomena under study, which attempt to
describe, predict, explain, and control subject matter.
Theories are often abstract and complex –
o Abstract means:
It consists of statements that generally are dissociated
from any material objects, specific circumstances,
facts, or observations.
Cons –
It tends to confuse the uninitiated, especially
criminology (scientific study of crime and
criminals) newcomers.
Detractors describe theories as lacking
correctness, statements that purport to tell us
about crime generally may not directly assist
those responsible for reducing crime.
Theorists sometimes fail to concern themselves
with practical applications of their abstract
statements.
Pros –
, Assertations in theories must go beyond
immediate time and place. Extent to which theory
is tied to particular set of events/people may help
us understand what is happening here and now
but this correctness limits the theory’s ability to
provide same types of insight for other
places/time/people.
Correctness vs abstractness explains why most info
obtained from media/other individualistic, unsystematic
observations yields few insights applicable beyond set
of circumstances.
Assumptions and Assertions: Building Blocks of Theories
Complexity of theories lies in assumptions and assertations (what
does a theory assume about human beings and human
behaviour?).
Theory’s assumptions are beyond testing (they constitute the
theory’s core belief system), assumptions are taken as given and
are either rejected or accepted but they are not generally subject
to testing/modification.
Once assumptions are stated, understood, and accepted, the next
task is to consider assertations (theoretical
assertations/relationships they imply, must be testable).
If assertions are incapable of being evaluated in the real world,
then it is not a theory and rather an ideology or theology (strongly
held beliefs that are not subject to testing/critical review.
Many theorists refer to their assertions as propositions
(generalized statements about relationships) –
, o Verifiable propositions, ones that receive consistent and
strong support when tested are called laws.
o Propositions still subject to study or for which body the body
of research is less compelling are called hypotheses.
Strategies for the Scientific Enterprise
Any explanation of crime that aspires to the level of theory requires
an application of scientific enterprise, whose principles include a
series of processes and products.
Deductive research (theory testing studies):
o Work based on past theorization that leads to research
questions/testable hypotheses.
Inductive research (theory-building studies):
o Allows data to speak for itself, providing findings that may
emerge as theory.
o Empirical generalization.
Criminologists are guided by design research and adopt a single
mode of observation and collect:
o Qualitative data (non-numerical examinations and
interpretations of observations intended to reveal the object
of study’s essence or basic nature).
o Quantitative data (numerical examinations and manipulations
of observations intended to express the object of study in
terms of accurate numerical equivalents).
Goals of Theory
Theory as description –
, o Statements embodied in the theory mesh with what we know
about crime and criminals.
o Descriptions must have high levels of accuracy, reliability
and validity.
o “What is it?”
Theory as explanation –
o “Why is it?”
o Explanations suggest deeper penetration into the problem of
crime compared to single description.
o Account for the very being of things under study and provide
reasons that such phenomena as crimes exist.
o Any theory that fails to explain, contributed little to theoretical
enterprise.
Theory as prediction –
o Shifts emphasis, predication (act of foretelling or making
know beforehand) emphasizes time.
o Prediction involves identifying when something will occur by
specificizing the conditions conductive to its occurrence.
o “When is it?”
o Social, behavioural, and physical scientists often express
prediction in probabilistic terms (likeliness that, given a set of
conditions, some event will occur).
o Rarely 0% or 100%.
Theory of control –
o Problematic for criminologists as they view themselves as
value-free observers of social world and not providers of
solutions.
