SOC 2700 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Thomas Kuhn, Metatheory, Measure (Mathematics)

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 2700
• Professor: Stephanie Howells

Document Summary

Analyze and critic the way others have looked at crime through history. The use of objective evidence and systematic observation 2. Also criminal behavior may merely be one of a variety of similar behaviors. If a criminal theory is based off of thrill seeking behavior, then the theory must also include legal behavior. ^ for this reason some criminologists advocate limiting theories to one behavior or criminal act. A good theory is one that can be tested and that bests fits the evidence of research. There is really no difference between natural and social sciences in determining a good theory. There are measurement problems in social sciences though because some variables like social class are hard to accurately measure unlike time or distance. Under these circumstances, if the theory is not testable or evidence does not support it, the theory is not good. Another concern with testing is the use of a single approach to measure theoretical concepts.