Theories
are made up of ideas attempting to structure thinking around a specific
happening. Your readings for this week introduce the ideas of
phenomena, concepts, propositions, and assumptions. This assignment is
designed to help you think about those four aspects and explain the
connections between each to help strengthen your understanding of the
foundations and working parts of theory.
Define the following four terms in your own words, citing at least one source: phenomena, concept, proposition, and assumptions.
Review your definitions
and think of an example from your day-to-day life or your practice
experience that includes each of the four ideas.
For example, falls in clinical practice is a phenomenon you encounter. The idea that dementia patients are at greater risk for falls is a related concept. The related proposition is that dementia is related to falling in some way. An underlying assumption is that patients with dementia don’t intend to fall.
Explain how all four aspects of your example work together to form the basis for a testable theory.
Cite a minimum of two sources in-text and in an APA-formatted reference page or slide.
Format your assignment as:
- 1,050- to 1,225-word paper
- Review the sample APA paper attached in Week 1 recommended reading
for the correct format for spacing, use of headers, in-text citing and
reference list formatting.
Reminder: Title pages/slides and reference lists/slides do not count toward word or slide requirements.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
This assignment requires an understanding of the foundational parts of theories, including phenomena, concepts, propositions, and assumptions. It aims to enable medical college students to explain how all four elements work together to form the basis for a testable theory. In this assignment, I will provide an answer to the content below.
Phenomena:
Phenomena refer to the events or occurrences that researchers want to understand. They may include physical, psychological, or social phenomena. Phenomena should be observable, measurable, and capable of replication. For example, a phenomenon in medical practice could be the effect of a specific drug on a particular disease.
Concepts:
Concepts are the terms, labels, or names that represent phenomena. They provide a common language for researchers to communicate their ideas. Concepts can be abstract or concrete. In medical practice, a concept could be a patient’s vital signs, such as heart rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure.
Propositions:
Propositions are statements that explain the relationships between two or more concepts. They are used to explain phenomena and predict their outcomes or effects. Propositions can be either true or false. In medical practice, a proposition could be that high blood sugar levels are a risk factor for developing diabetes.
Assumptions:
Assumptions are underlying beliefs or values that researchers hold about the world. They are often taken for granted and not explicitly stated. Assumptions can influence the way researchers interpret data and form theories. For example, in medical practice, an assumption could be that patients want to recover from their illnesses.
Example:
Suppose a researcher wants to develop a theory about the relationship between exercise and depression in elderly patients. Exercise would be the phenomenon, depression and elderly patients would be the concepts, the proposition would be that exercise reduces depression in elderly patients, and the assumption would be that elderly patients are capable of exercising.
Explanation:
All four aspects work together coherently to form the basis for a testable theory. The phenomenon, exercise, and the concept, depression and elderly patients, are related. The proposition, exercise reduces depression in elderly patients, explains the relationship between the phenomenon and the concepts. The assumption, elderly patients are capable of exercising, provides a framework for testing the proposition.
Sources:
American Psychological Association. (2019). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. Washington, DC: Author.
Babbie, E. (2016). The basics of social research. Cengage Learning.
