What are assumptions in the context of theory?
Beliefs about phenomena one must accept as true to accept a theory about the phenomena as true
Assumptions may be based on accepted knowledge or personal beliefs and values. Not testable, but argued philosophically.
What is a borrowed or shared theory?
Theory from another discipline that is adapted to the worldview and practice of nursing
Define ‘concept’ in nursing theory.
Elements or components of a phenomenon necessary to understand the phenomenon, abstract and derived from impressions of the human mind about phenomena through sensing the environment
What is a conceptual model or conceptual framework?
Set of interrelated concepts that symbolically represents and converts a mental image of phenomena
Identifies concepts and describes their relationships to phenomena of central concern to the discipline.
What is a construct?
Most complex type of concept, built by theorists or philosophers to find a purpose
Concepts and constructs are interchangeable; all constructs are concepts, but not all concepts are constructs.
What is an empirical indicator?
Very specific, concrete identifiers of concepts, including actual instructions, experimental conditions, and procedures used to observe or measure the concepts of a theory
Define epistemology.
Theories of knowledge or how people come to have knowledge
In nursing, it is the study of origins of nursing knowledge.
What is a hypothesis?
Tentative suggestions that specify relationships between two concepts or propositions
What is the definition of knowledge?
Awareness or perception of reality acquired through insight, learning, or investigation
What are laws in a theoretical context?
Propositions about relationships between concepts in theory that have been repeatedly validated and are highly generalizable
What does the term ‘metaparadigm’ refer to?
Represents the worldview of a discipline, a global perspective that subsumes more specific views and approaches to the central concepts of concern
What is a middle range theory?
Part of a discipline that concerns related to particular topics, with a scope that is narrower than broad/grand theories
Define ‘model’ in the context of nursing theory.
Graphic or symbolic representations of phenomena that objectify and present certain perspectives or points of view about nature or function
What is ontology?
Study of existence and nature of reality
What is a paradigm?
Organizing framework that contains concepts, theories, assumptions, beliefs, values, and principles that form the way a discipline interprets its subject matter
What does ‘phenomena’ refer to in nursing?
Designation of an aspect of reality that interests become subject matter to the primary concerns of a discipline
What is philosophy in the context of nursing?
Statement of beliefs and values about human beings and their world
What is a practice or situation-specific theory?
Deals with a limited range of discrete phenomena that are specifically defined and not expanded to include their link with broad concerns of a discipline
What does ‘praxis’ mean?
Application of a theory to cases encountered in experience
What are relationship statements?
Indicate specific relationships between two or more concepts, classified as propositions, hypotheses, laws, axioms, theorems
Define taxonomy.
Classification scheme for defining or gathering together various phenomena, ranging in complexity from simple to complicated
What is a theory?
Set of logically interrelated concepts, statements, propositions, and definitions that account for and characterize some phenomena
What is a worldview?
Philosophical frame of reference used by a social or cultural group to describe that group’s outlook and beliefs about reality
What are the classifications of theory?
Meta, grand, middle range, practice
