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Invisible Hands and Fine Calipers: A Call to Use Formal Theory as a Toolkit for Theory Construction
Perspectives on Psychological Science ( IF 12.6 ) Pub Date : 2021-02-16 , DOI: 10.1177/1745691620974697
Donald J Robinaugh 1 , Jonas M B Haslbeck 2 , Oisín Ryan 3 , Eiko I Fried 4 , Lourens J Waldorp 2
Affiliation  

In recent years, a growing chorus of researchers has argued that psychological theory is in a state of crisis: Theories are rarely developed in a way that indicates an accumulation of knowledge. Paul Meehl raised this very concern more than 40 years ago. Yet in the ensuing decades, little has improved. We aim to chart a better path forward for psychological theory by revisiting Meehl’s criticisms, his proposed solution, and the reasons his solution failed to meaningfully change the status of psychological theory. We argue that Meehl identified serious shortcomings in our evaluation of psychological theories and that his proposed solution would substantially strengthen theory testing. However, we also argue that Meehl failed to provide researchers with the tools necessary to construct the kinds of rigorous theories his approach required. To advance psychological theory, we must equip researchers with tools that allow them to better generate, evaluate, and develop their theories. We argue that formal theories provide this much-needed set of tools, equipping researchers with tools for thinking, evaluating explanation, enhancing measurement, informing theory development, and promoting the collaborative construction of psychological theories.



中文翻译:

看不见的手和精细的卡尺:呼吁使用形式理论作为理论构建的工具包

近年来,越来越多的研究人员认为心理学理论处于危机状态:理论很少以表明知识积累的方式发展。40 多年前,Paul Meehl 就提出了这一问题。然而,在随后的几十年里,情况几乎没有改善。我们旨在通过重新审视 Meehl 的批评、他提出的解决方案以及他的解决方案未能有意义地改变心理学理论地位的原因,为心理学理论制定一条更好的前进道路。我们认为 Meehl 在我们对心理学理论的评估中发现了严重的缺陷,并且他提出的解决方案将大大加强理论检验。然而,我们也认为 Meehl 未能为研究人员提供必要的工具来构建他的方法所需的严格理论。为了推进心理学理论,我们必须为研究人员配备工具,使他们能够更好地生成、评估和发展他们的理论。我们认为,形式理论提供了这套急需的工具,为研究人员提供了思考、评估解释、加强测量、为理论发展提供信息以及促进心理学理论的协作构建的工具。

更新日期:2021-02-17
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