CMNS 260 Chapter 2: Chapter 2 notes & Terms
31 Mar 2014
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Aggregate: collection of many individuals, cases, or other units. Social theory: a system of interconnected abstractions or ideas that condenses and organizes knowledge about the social world. Concept: an idea expressed as a symbol or in words. Concept cluster: a collection of interrelated ideas that share common assumptions, belong to the same larger social theory, and refer to one another. Classification: a means of organizing abstract, complex concepts using a combination of the characteristics of simpler concepts. Ideal type: a pure model about an idea, process, or event. One develops it to think about it more clearly and systematically. It is used both as a method of qualitative data analysis and in social theory building. Assumption: a part of a social theory that is not tested but ask as a starting point for basic beliefs about the world these are necessary to make other theoretical statements and to build social theory.
