Even after the seminar and reading
articles on what theory is I have a feeling that it’s not that much easy to
prove that this is supposed to be a real theory or not. In our group discussion
we came up with some conclusions that theory has to be replicable and actually
theory itself isn’t the complete truth. Let’s
say there is a well-grounded hypothesis and I wrote an effective conclusion to
it. Did it become a theory (hypothesis+conclusion= ...)?
I totally agree with my coleagues
that at least from now I am trying to guess which type of theory was used in a
paper and how an author described it, is it tested/replicable or without any
ground, hypothesis or just some unconfirmed facts etc. The most important thing
to understand is that data, references,
diagrams, lists of variables or constructs, hypothesis can explain a theory but
not be it itself. All those types of theoris mentioned in the paper for the
seminar is based on analyzing.
Our group shaped a new theory of
digital politics. It is developed based on the article Good news for the future? Young people, Internet use, and political
participation by Bakker, T.P. De Vreese, C.H. The type of theory is explanation
and prediction (EP).
Description:
Using the internet is a positive predictor for all forms of political
participation for young people. The authors did some predictions about
traditional and digital participation. Media can form our views and our
perception of politics. Internet use does not affect all groups in society
similarly, rather it depends on a complex combination of personal and social characteristics,
as well as the specific content and context of the medium.
It’s quite interesting topic of
Internet use and political participation. Some scholars found out that politicians are active online only before
the elections and then it seems they forget about it at all.
Hello Marina, I don´t actually understand what you mean by saying that theory isn´t the complete truth. Can you tell me some of your group´s conclusions according to which theory has to be replicable and actually theory itself isn’t the complete truth.
ReplyDeleteYou say that many politicians are active internet users before elections and soon after the election period is over, they forget all about being online. What do you think is the reason for this phenomenon? And is it something that was studied in your research paper?
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ReplyDeleteI find your reasoning about whether a well-grounded hypothesis together with a good conclusion is theory, interesting. According to me it can actually be theory. I mean isn't that kind of how theory is created. For example when Einstein came up with his theory of relativity I'm pretty sure he had a well-grounded HYPOTHESIS, then conducted some experiments and came to a CONCLUSION. Thus, he had created one of physics most important THEORIES.
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