Search results

Social sciences have gone too far in their specialization; their highly sophisticated methodological input is bringing diminishing returns in understanding the complexities & development trends of modern societies. More thought should be devoted to an integrated social science approach & to further elaboration of the broad-ranging theories of earlier times. In order not to fall victim to an orientation dilemma, ie, where one knows too much about too little, or too little about too much, a strategy of four-fold balance is delineated: balance in focus, in proportionality, in conceptualization, & in method. Modified AA.

Graphical representation of the dynamic interactions among the elements of a system has found wide application in business, government, & the "system sciences." Although system representation is now ad hoc, it may be possible to develop a standard theoretical presentation in terms of the interaction & feedback of biological, biosocial, cultural, & situational determinants of behavior. The resulting framework must, of course, be modified for each problem addressed, yet the framework forces the analysis to be dynamic as well as static, to avoid overemphasis on factors of interest to a particular investigator, & to show more precisely the effect of adopting alternative social theories. Examining the applicability of this proposed framework to a variety of problems suggests that this approach will assist in the transfer of information between applied & theoretical studies & in the cumulation of social science knowledge. 1 Table, 8 Figures. AA.