Informal social communication.

Abstract

The importance of strict theory in developing and guiding programs of research is becoming more and more recognized today. Yet there is considerable disagreement about exactly how strict and precise a theoretical formulation must be at various stages in the development of a body of knowledge. Certainly there a r e many who feel that some 'theorizing" is too vague and indefinite to be of much use. It is also argued that such vague and broad 'theorizing" may actually hinder the empirical development of an area of knowledge.There are, on the other hand many who express dissatisfactions with instances of very precise theories which do exist here and there, for somehow o r other a precise and specific theory seems to them to leave out the 'real" psychological problem. These persons seem to be more concerned with those aspects of the problem which the precise theory has not yet touched. From this point of view it is argued that such too precise and too strict theorizing may also hinder the empirical development of an a r e a of knowledge.

Chapter 5: Quantitative Methods for Studying Social Context in Multilevels and Through Interpersonal Relations

“…10 One possible interpretation for p is that it indicates the effect of alters (/') on ego (/) through the social network (Bovasso, 1996;Burt, 1987). This might occur through the process of cohesion, in which people influence one another by sharing information or persuasion (Barnes, 1972;Blau, 1977;Bott, 1971;Collins, 1981;Festinger, 1950;Homans, 1950;Mitchell, 1973), or through structural equiva lence, where the w ü indicate the role that people occupy and the y¡ represent a behavior that is a function of the behaviors of others who occupy similar roles (Burt, 1987;Merton, 1957;Nadel, 1957;Radcliffe-Brown, 1940). For example, cohesion applies when students' educational decisions and aspirations are influenced through direct discussions (Davies & Kandel, 1981;Duncan, Haller, & Portes, 1968;Hartup, 1978;Sewell, Haller, & Ohlendorf, 1970).…”

Chapter IV: Developments in Group Behavior in Adult Education

“…Back (3), Festinger and his associates (24,25,26,27,28), and Schachter (78) have made a series of ingenious and productive studies, originating in a systematic formulation (25), and directed toward the understanding of pressures toward conformity as they affect group-member action, and a determination of the patterns of communication brought about by such pressures. They found, for instance, that the number of communica tions addressed by group members to those whose opinions were extreme was greater than the number addressed to the more conforming members.…”

“…For example, development of theories and research efforts to test them have occurred in such areas as the process of communication in small groups, by Festinger and his associates (24,25,26,27,28), Schachter (78), Bavelas and his co-workers (6,56,57), and Back (3) ; the concept of "contagion" and attributed power as influence-forces on the behavior of other group members as developed by Lippitt and his associates (37,60,75) ; the interrelationships among various emotional aspects of group growth by Thelen and his co-workers (86,87) ; the role relationships among members of small groups by Gibb and his associates (33,34) ; the group "syntality" dimensions as tested by Cattell (17,18) ; and the modified Lewinian hypotheses tested by Horwitz and Lee (49).…”

Chapter V: Adult Education and Community Development

“…Festinger (42), Nafziger, Engstrom and MacLean (82), and Rose (99) dealt with three phases of this problem.…”