@inbook{5c0a451b4a6840a38fe15353ab1db38c,
title = "The Methods and Surprises of Sociological Theory: Ideas, Postulates, Predictions, Distributions, Unification",
abstract = "This chapter discusses the methods and surprises of sociological theory. We examine five theoretical activities: (1) assembling key ideas, including the Mertonian starting ideas; (2) crafting postulates and establishing their properties; (3) deducing implications, including novel predictions; (4) linking individuals and societies, obtaining new probability distributions; and (5) unifying distinct theories. These activities require a body of methods, and they produce discoveries—the great surprises.",
keywords = "Justice and fairness, Methods for theoretical analysis, Postulates, Predictions, Status, Theoretical unification",
author = "Guillermina Jasso",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.",
year = "2021",
doi = "10.1007/978-3-030-78205-4_2",
language = "English (US)",
series = "Handbooks of Sociology and Social Research",
publisher = "Springer Science and Business Media B.V.",
pages = "17--36",
booktitle = "Handbooks of Sociology and Social Research",
}