The Logic of Social Research

Preface and Acknowledgments xi 1 Methods for Sociology and Related Disciplines 1(21) What Kinds of Theory Do Sociologists Study? 1(8) The Formation of Methodological Factions 9(2) An Outline of the Argument 11(1) Problem I: The Centrality of Distances in Study Design for Causal Theories 11(2) Problem II: Economy in Data Collection 13(1) Problem III: Using Data to Refine Concepts and "Measurements" of Concepts 14(2) Problem IV: Contexts; Differences and Distances between Contexts; Contexts Shaping Causal Processes 16(1) Problem V: Using Data to Find Mechanisms and Processes; Relation of Such Process Concepts to Concepts of Units of Analysis 17(1) Problem VI: Testing Theories by Testing Hypotheses with Data 18(1) Problem VII: Using Data to Refine Theories 19(1) Self-Evaluation 20(2) 2 Distances as Central to Causal Reasoning and Methods 22(14) The Minimum Piece of Causal Information Is Two Distances 22(2) Difference, Distance, Units, Causes within Units 24(5) Closer and Farther: Numbers, Lines, and Curves 29(3) The Centrality of Distances in Later Chapters of This Book 32(4) 3 The Basic Structure of Economy in Social Research 36(41) The Centrality of Distances in Study Design 36(1) Differences among Cultures or Societies 37(2) Intensity of Observation 39(3) Sparse Fields and the Expense of Getting a Grip on a Case 42(1) Stinchcombe Methods Slavery Short Version 43(9) Clemens Books Short Version 52(3) Theoretical Methods to Increase Economies in Data Collection 55(2) Theory Allowing One to Use Data from a "Lower" Level 57(1) The Theoretical Penumbra and Exploratory Research 58(1) Getting Unconfounded Distances 59(3) When Not to Follow My Advice on Sampling Extreme Cases Intensively 62(6) "Nearby" Theories and the Value of Data 68(2) Process Data 70(1) Becker Short Version 70(3) Context 73(2) Appendix: General Note on American "Random" Samples 75(2) 4 Using Data to Refine Concepts of Distances between Units of Analysis 77(40) "Sensitizing Concepts" and Improving Them 80(1) Institutionalized Definitions 81(2) "Informal" Institutions 83(2) Methodological Implications of the Examples 85(1) Extending the Notion 86(2) Distances between Situations 88(1) Quantitative and Qualitative Distances 89(2) Exemplification of Discrete Variables 91(2) Stinchcombe Logic of Analogy Short Version 93(8) The Opposite End: Exact Concepts 101(3) Criteria for Good Concepts with Good Measurements 104(1) Stinchcombe Psychology of Rebellion Short Version 104(6) Uses of Exactness 110(2) Principles of Refining Concepts of Distances 112(5) 5 Refining Concepts about Contexts 117(32) Concepts about Context, and Context-Specific Concepts 120(3) Books for Context, Articles for Causation with Assumed Context 123(3) Contexts to Study Meanings 126(2) The Relation of Context to Distances between Units of Analysis 128(2) Periodization and Localization in Historical Sociology 130(2) Clemens Time Short Version 132(3) Geographical and Temporal Boundaries of Context 135(2) Exactness of Concepts of Context; Institutions as Contexts of Organizations 137(1) Schneiberg-Clemens Institutionalism Methods Short Version 138(6) Concepts and Variables about Contexts 144(2) Summary on Concepts of Context 146(3) 6 Units of Analysis and Mechanisms: Turning Causes into Effects 149(90) The Interdependence of Concepts and Units of Analysis 152(6) Abbott Short Version 158(2) Investigating Analogies and Their Causal Meaning 160(2) Analogies between Distances as the Core of Analogies between Units of Analysis 162(4) An Example of a Mechanism Paper 166(4) Five Main Kinds of Mechanisms and Units of Analysis 170(6) Stinchcombe Mechanisms Short Version 176(6) A Basic Mechanism with Variants: Complex Cultural Objects, Their Creators, and Their Users 182(2) Methodological Strategy on Texts, Discourse, and Reception 184(1) Objects and Actions, Griswold and the Artist-Audience Relation 185(1) Griswold Short Version 186(2) Back to Books versus Articles 188(2) Reception versus Production 190(2) Scholarly Citations as Evidence of "Serious" Reception 192(2) Interpretation 194(4) Explanation by Interpretation 198(1) Summary: Methods for the Sociology of High Culture 198(2) Bargains as Social Systems and Creators of Social Orders 200(10) Summary on Bargains 210(1) Methods to Study When Bargains Hold 211(3) Mobilization as a Mechanism 214(1) Social Movement Theory and Diffusion Theory 214(3) "Seekers," "Cosmopolitans," "Other Adopters," and "Opponents" 217(3) Stinchcombe Time Short Version 220(4) Ties of Trust 224(3) Adoption and Rejection after Adoption: New Things in the Life World 227(3) Comparative Racism: Methods for Sorting Out Mechanisms 230(4) Why Historical? 234(4) Conclusion 238(1) 7 Testing Theories by Testing Hypotheses with Data 239(55) Regression as Creating a Parameterized Comparison Group, as a "Null Hypothesis" for "Residual Analysis" 241(5) A Note on R2 246(1) Hierarchical Models 246(3) Observations on Partial Distances 249(1) Rules of Thumb for Increasing Power of Observations for Causal Studies 250(5) Stinchcombe Causes Short Version 255(5) Strong Hierarchical Reasoning: Statistical Form 260(2) Back to the Residuals Method 262(4) The Character of "Resolution" as a Methodological Criterion 266(1) Refining Fieldwork Observations 267(2) Resolution on a Grand Scale 269(2) The "Preferences" of Organizations 271(4) Strategic Questions in "Testing" Theories 275(1) An Overall View of What These Strategies Do 276(3) Variances, Interactions, Boundaries, Scope Conditions, and General Complexification 279(9) Complexification and Fish Scale Models of Science 288(3) Summary on Testing 291(3) 8 Improving Theories with Data 294(41) Theories as Crafted 296(2) What Does Crafting Mean? 298(3) Crafting Methods 301(2) Stinchcombe Slavery Short Version 303(6) Stinchcombe Information Short Version 309(5) Heimer and Staffen Methods Short Version 314(6) Elegance, Power, and Economy 320(1) Stinchcombe Rebellion No Answers Short Version 321(4) Responsibility 325(2) Heimer and Staffen Responsibility Short Version 327(5) Complex Causal Roles of Concepts, Complex Concepts, and Complex Fieldwork Studies 332(2) Conclusion 334(1) References 335(12) Index 347