Abstract
A commonly held point of view defines a discipline as a science if it uses inductive and/or deductive methods in studying
phenomena in question, because these methods, it is believed, will enable generalization of findings. Both history and theory
of social representations study unique phenomena and therefore, for these disciplines, induction and deduction are unsuitable
methods of exploration. History and theory of social representations treat a historical event and a social psychological phenomenon,
respectively, as dynamic, systemic and one of its kind. Using relational epistemologies, these disciplines produce context-dependent
and context-specific knowledge. Whilst similarities among historical, as well as among social psychological occurrences do
exist, they do not yield themselves to inductive generalization. Studies of unique cases require different kinds of generalization;
rather than generalising to populations, they pose questions about generalizability, or transferability, with respect to theories
of other historical events or social psychological phenomena.
phenomena in question, because these methods, it is believed, will enable generalization of findings. Both history and theory
of social representations study unique phenomena and therefore, for these disciplines, induction and deduction are unsuitable
methods of exploration. History and theory of social representations treat a historical event and a social psychological phenomenon,
respectively, as dynamic, systemic and one of its kind. Using relational epistemologies, these disciplines produce context-dependent
and context-specific knowledge. Whilst similarities among historical, as well as among social psychological occurrences do
exist, they do not yield themselves to inductive generalization. Studies of unique cases require different kinds of generalization;
rather than generalising to populations, they pose questions about generalizability, or transferability, with respect to theories
of other historical events or social psychological phenomena.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Regular Article
- Pages 1-18
- DOI 10.1007/s12124-012-9210-2
- Authors
- Ivana Marková, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
- Journal Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science
- Online ISSN 1936-3567
- Print ISSN 1932-4502