Book contents
- Developing Theories in the Social Sciences
- Methodological Tools in the Social Sciences
- Developing Theories in the Social Sciences
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Tables
- Preface: Do We Need Theories?
- 1 What Is a Theory?
- 2 Concepts
- 3 Logical Sentences and Truth
- 4 Types of Reasoning and Definitions
- 5 Testing Theory
- 6 Developing a Theory of Status Effects
- 7 Public Good Theory and Research: Public Good Theory and Research
- 8 Avoiding Common Missteps
- Index
- References
5 - Testing Theory
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 May 2026
Book contents
- Developing Theories in the Social Sciences
- Methodological Tools in the Social Sciences
- Developing Theories in the Social Sciences
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Tables
- Preface: Do We Need Theories?
- 1 What Is a Theory?
- 2 Concepts
- 3 Logical Sentences and Truth
- 4 Types of Reasoning and Definitions
- 5 Testing Theory
- 6 Developing a Theory of Status Effects
- 7 Public Good Theory and Research: Public Good Theory and Research
- 8 Avoiding Common Missteps
- Index
- References
Summary
Empirical tests are necessary for the advancement of theories. Clear theoretical definitions enable researchers to find or create instances of the abstract concepts. Empirical tests can be done using a variety of methodologies. Some empirical tests supply more information than others based on how many alternatives interpretations for the results can be ruled out. Stronger tests are those that offer more precise predictions. Replications of tests are important for the advancement of theory. We differentiate between empirical replications, which use the exact same measurements to test a theory and theoretical replications, which use differing operationalizations to test a theory. Both types of replication are important and rely on researchers making their reasoning and test materials publicly available.
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- Developing Theories in the Social SciencesMethods and Applications, pp. 47 - 65Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2026
References
References
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Godfrey-Smith, Peter. 2003. Theory and Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science. Chicago, Il: University of Chicago Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
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Manago, Bianca. 2023. “Preregistration and Registered Reports in Sociology: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Other Considerations.” The American Sociologist 54(1): 193–210.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nosek, Brian A., Hardwicke, Tom E., Moshontz, Hannah, Allard, Aurelien, Corker, Katherine S., Fidler, Fiona, Hilgard, Joe, Struhl, Melissa Kline, Nuijten, Michele B., Rohrer, Julia M., Romero, Felipe, Scheel, Anne M., Scherer, Laurer D., Schonbrodt, Felix D., and Vazire, Simine. 2022. “Replicability, Robustness, and Reproducibility in Psychological Science.” Annual Review of Psychology 73: 719–748.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Further Reading
Lucas, Jeffrey, Morrell, Kevin, and Posard, Marek. 2013. “Considerations on the ‘Replication Problem’ in Sociology.” American Sociologist 44(2): 217–232.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Manago, Bianca. 2025. Preparing Data for Analysis: From Raw to Ready. Beverly Hills, CA. Sage.Google Scholar
Willer, David and Emanuelson, Pamela. 2021. “Theory and the Replication Problem.” Sociological Methodology 51(1): 146–165.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
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