Notes on the Nature and Development of General Theories

Abstract

There is a remarkable absence of discussion in sociology about the nature of (grounded) theories, how to generate them, and go about verifying them (witness the recent Handbook of Qualitative Research). Most theories are substantive. Differences among types of theories along various dimensions are discussed. A stand is taken against the usual oversimplified hierarchization of them by "levels," using an analysis of how theories appear in Science articles. For social scientists, this use constitutes models to be learned from, but not slavishly followed. Extended illustration is given from the author's research on the control of information, including guarding secrets, giving misleading information, engaging in suspicion searches, and the like. From this research, several innovative procedures are discussed relative to developing, checking, and linking general theories, both with each other and with substantive theories.