scholarly journals Anatomy of a Psychological Theory: Integrating Construct Validation and Computational Modeling Methods to Advance Theorizing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan Grahek ◽  
Mark Schaller ◽  
Jennifer L Tackett
Keyword(s):  
Computational Modeling ◽  
Construct Validation ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Psychological Theory ◽  
Modeling Methods ◽  
Psychological Theories ◽  
Development Processes ◽  
Convergence And Divergence

Discussions about replicability of psychological studies have primarily focused on improving research methods and practices, with less attention paid to the role of well-specified theories in facilitating the production of reliable empirical results. The field is currently in need of clearly articulated steps to theory specification and development, particularly regarding frameworks that may generalize across different fields of psychology. Here we focus on two approaches to theory specification and development which are typically associated with distinct research traditions: computational modeling and construct validation. We outline the points of convergence and divergence between them to illuminate the anatomy of a scientific theory in psychology - what a well specified theory should contain and how it should be interrogated and revised through iterative theory development processes. We propose how these two approaches can be used in complementary ways to increase the quality of explanations and the precision of predictions offered by psychological theories.

scholarly journals Anatomy of a Psychological Theory: Integrating Construct-Validation and Computational-Modeling Methods to Advance Theorizing

2021 ◽  
pp. 174569162096679
Author(s):  
Ivan Grahek ◽  
Mark Schaller ◽  
Jennifer L. Tackett
Keyword(s):  
Computational Modeling ◽  
Construct Validation ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Psychological Theory ◽  
Modeling Methods ◽  
Psychological Theories ◽  
Development Processes ◽  
Convergence And Divergence

Discussions about the replicability of psychological studies have primarily focused on improving research methods and practices, with less attention paid to the role of well-specified theories in facilitating the production of reliable empirical results. The field is currently in need of clearly articulated steps to theory specification and development, particularly regarding frameworks that may generalize across different fields of psychology. Here we focus on two approaches to theory specification and development that are typically associated with distinct research traditions: computational modeling and construct validation. We outline the points of convergence and divergence between them to illuminate the anatomy of a scientific theory in psychology—what a well-specified theory should contain and how it should be interrogated and revised through iterative theory-development processes. We propose how these two approaches can be used in complementary ways to increase the quality of explanations and the precision of predictions offered by psychological theories.

Computational Modeling of the Pulling Force in a Conventional Pultrusion Process

2013 ◽  
Vol 772 ◽  
pp. 399-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierpaolo Carlone ◽  
Gaetano S. Palazzo
Keyword(s):  
Computational Modeling ◽  
Viscous Drag ◽  
Force Model ◽  
High Productivity ◽  
Pultrusion Process ◽  
Pulling Force ◽  
Frictional Effects

Pultrusion process is gaining increasing attention in several sectors, due to the high productivity and quality achievable. Recent researches highlighted the influence of the pulling force on the quality of pultruded products. In this paper a pulling force model, accounting for compacting, viscous, and frictional effects in a conventional pultrusion process has been implemented. The model is based on the combination of an impregnation, a thermochemical, and a frictional sub-models. Obtained outcomes evidenced, for the considered case,adominant role of the viscous drag.

scholarly journals Philosophy of science and the formalization of psychological theory

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 786-799
Author(s):  
Markus I. Eronen ◽  
Jan-Willem Romeijn
Keyword(s):  
Philosophy Of Science ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Psychological Theory ◽  
Current Debate ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Recent Theory ◽  
The Past ◽  
Conceptual Work

One of the original aims of this journal was to promote theory in psychology. Nowadays more and more psychological researchers are calling for more theory development, and articles on the “theory crisis” have also found their way into mainstream journals. In this article, we provide a further perspective to this theory debate. Over the past century, philosophy of science has staged extensive discussions on the mathematization of nature and on the role of mathematics in the development of theory and the connection of theory to empirical facts. We show that these discussions are highly relevant for the current debate in psychology. In particular, we emphasize the importance of conceptual work in the process of mathematization, and the role of mathematics in co-ordinating theory and observations. We then discuss the implications that these points have for statistically oriented psychology in general and for the recent theory debate in psychology.

scholarly journals Invisible Hands and Fine Calipers: A Call to Use Formal Theory as a Toolkit for Theory Construction

2021 ◽  
pp. 174569162097469
Author(s):  
Donald J. Robinaugh ◽  
Jonas M. B. Haslbeck ◽  
Oisín Ryan ◽  
Eiko I. Fried ◽  
Lourens J. Waldorp
Keyword(s):  
Theory Development ◽  
Formal Theory ◽  
Psychological Theory ◽  
Theory Testing ◽  
Theory Construction ◽  
Psychological Theories ◽  
Collaborative Construction ◽  
The Status ◽  
Formal Theories

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.

scholarly journals Integrating the content and process of capability development: Lessons from theoretical and methodological developments

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 748-763 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alireza J. Kashan ◽  
Kavoos Mohannak
Keyword(s):  
Critical Realism ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Field Analysis ◽  
Capability Development ◽  
Partial Explanation ◽  
Strategic Fit ◽  
Integrative View ◽  
Development Processes

AbstractThe literature on capability development has focussed on either the content or process of capability development. Such a partial explanation of the capability development phenomenon has created some flaws in the literature. This paper argues that integrating the content and process of capability development is the way ahead in theorising in this field. Analysis of the methodological development in parallel to theory development reveals the critical role of microprocesses in such integration. To develop an integrative view of capability development we propose a conceptualisation of capability development processes through internal and external strategic fit and emphasise the role of knowledge and innovation processes. We also argue that a critical realism approach is of high relevance to researching such an integrative view.

scholarly journals Invisible Hands and Fine Calipers: A Call to Use Formal Theory as a Toolkit for Theory Construction

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald Robinaugh ◽  
Jonas M B Haslbeck ◽  
Oisín Ryan ◽  
Eiko I Fried ◽  
Lourens Waldorp
Keyword(s):  
Theory Development ◽  
Formal Theory ◽  
Psychological Theory ◽  
Theory Construction ◽  
Meaningful Change ◽  
Psychological Phenomena ◽  
Psychological Theories ◽  
Collaborative Construction ◽  
The Status ◽  
And Control

In recent years, a growing chorus of researchers have argued that psychological theory is in a state of crisis: theories are rarely developed in a way that indicates an accumulation of knowledge and they are often absent from our research entirely. More than 40 years ago, Paul Meehl raised these very concerns. 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 meaningful 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 he failed to provide researchers a set of tools for theory construction. To advance psychological theory, we must equip researchers with tools 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, informing theory development, strengthening measurement, and moving toward collaborative construction of psychological theories that allow us to explain, predict, and control psychological phenomena.

Cognitive Health Counseling 40+

2013 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Eschen ◽  
Franzisca Zehnder ◽  
Mike Martin
Keyword(s):  
Outcome Variable ◽  
Pilot Phase ◽  
Subjective Memory ◽  
Cognitive Health ◽  
Health Counseling ◽  
Agents Of Change ◽  
Main Outcome Variable ◽  
Further Development

This article introduces Cognitive Health Counseling 40+ (CH.CO40+), an individualized intervention that is conceptually based on the orchestration model of quality-of-life management ( Martin & Kliegel, 2010 ) and aims at improving satisfaction with cognitive health in adults aged 40 years and older. We describe the theoretically deduced characteristics of CH.CO40+, its target group, its multifactorial nature, its individualization, the application of subjective and objective measures, the role of participants as agents of change, and the rationale for choosing participants’ satisfaction with their cognitive health as main outcome variable. A pilot phase with 15 middle-aged and six older adults suggests that CH.CO40+ attracts, and may be particularly suitable for, subjective memory complainers. Implications of the pilot data for the further development of the intervention are discussed.

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