Introduction

Question 1

What is an orienting statement vs what is a scientific statement?

Answer 1

Orienting statement (after Homans 1967):

• Bold statements (with seemingly deep insights) that establish a connection between phenomena but are not sufficiently specified to allow falsification or specific predictions (just says that something will change, not how or what will change - no directional relationship)
• Very difficult to refute as they cannot be tested as too abstract

Ultimate goal of empirical-theoretical social science–>
Scientific statements: testable explanations & theories

Question 2

Are orienting statements of value?

Answer 2

Heuristic value: encourage you to look for causes / ask (more specific) questions

Question 3

Example orienting statement:

Answer 3

• “If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences.” (Thomas)
• “Knowledge and power are not independent & power influences action” (Foucault)
• “Social inequity in a society depends on the technological development”

Question 4

Example scientific statement:

Answer 4

Across generations, immigrants minorities will become more similar to the majority populations

Question 5

What is the concept of informational content?

Answer 5

• Criterion to evaluate scientific propositions
• consists of two components: often 1) if .., 2) then .. (cause/effect) –> We strive for sentences were the if-part is very broad and applicable & the then-part is very specific
• BUT trade-off: (Usually), the more general you become, the less specificity u can apply