### A Collection of Key Readings on Psychological Theory: Reflections from Ekaterina Damer’s Discussion
Ekaterina Damer’s engaging thread has ignited enthusiastic dialogues among psychologists on Twitter, resulting in a rich assortment of suggested resources concerning theory construction, evaluation, and evolution in psychology. These suggestions, put forth by prominent figures in the field, highlight the critical significance of theory in propelling psychological research forward. Below, I’ve assembled the recommended readings and insights from various academics to form a comprehensive list for those eager to delve into the complex realm of psychological theory.
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### **1. Foundational Insights on Explanation in Psychology**
– **Recommended by Iris van Rooij:**
– **Robert Cummins**: [“‘How does it work?’ vs. ‘What are the laws?’ Two conceptions of psychological explanation”](https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/f5b1/b05e8313aee94ccd98e80eab3ec56dbd2c97.pdf)
Cummins invites researchers to explore two interrelated approaches to psychological explanation: one focused on mechanisms and the other on law-like generalizations. This paper investigates how these approaches influence theoretical pursuits.
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### **2. Perspectives on Theory Development in Social Psychology**
– **Recommended by Ed Orehek:**
– [“Theory Construction in Social Personality Psychology: Personal Experiences and Lessons Learned”](http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1207/s15327957pspr0802_1). This special issue of *Personality and Social Psychology Review* offers a deep dive into the intricacies and challenges of theory development, featuring personal accounts from prominent voices in the field.
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### **3. Insights on Theory in Psychology**
– **Recommended by Djouria Ghilani:**
– **Gerd Gigerenzer**: [“Personal Reflections on Theory and Psychology”](http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0959354310378184). Gigerenzer provides reflections on the relationship between theory and practice in psychology, stressing the necessity of strong theoretical frameworks.
– **Barry N. Markovsky**: [Selected Works](https://works.bepress.com/barry_markovsky/). Markovsky’s work explores the sociological dimensions of theory development, presenting ideas that can be effectively applied in psychological contexts.
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### **4. Paul Meehl’s Influential Works**
– **Widely endorsed (especially by Tal Yarkoni):**
Paul Meehl’s contributions are recognized as foundational to theory formulation in psychology. Key pieces include:
– [“Theory-testing in psychology and physics: A methodological paradox”](http://meehl.umn.edu/sites/g/files/pua1696/f/074theorytestingparadox.pdf). Meehl analyzes the differences in scientific theory-testing practices between psychology and the physical sciences.
– [“Appraising and amending theories: The strategy of Lakatosian defense and two principles that warrant it”](http://meehl.umn.edu/sites/g/files/pua1696/f/147appraisingamending.pdf). This work discusses how theories can be refined through Lakatosian defensive approaches.
– [“Why summaries of research on psychological theories are often uninterpretable”](http://meehl.umn.edu/sites/g/files/pua1696/f/144whysummaries.pdf). Meehl critiques the prevalent tendency to summarize psychological theories devoid of significant interpretation.
For further insights, **PsychBrief** has compiled a wide range of Meehl’s videos and articles [here](http://psychbrief.com/meehl-videos-papers/).
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### **5. Critical Analysis of “What Theory Is Not”**
– **Recommended by Burak Tunca:**
– **Robert I. Sutton & Barry M. Staw**: [“What Theory Is Not”](http://haas.berkeley.edu/faculty/papers/stawtheory.pdf). This paper dismantles prevalent misunderstandings surrounding theory, clarifying what constitutes a meaningful theoretical contribution.
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### **6. Crafting Theories in Cognitive and Social Psychology**
– **Recommended by Joshua Skewes, Randy McCarthy, and Kimberly Quinn:**
– **Valerie Gray Hardcastle**: *How to build a theory in cognitive science*. This text offers a hands-on approach to developing theoretical frameworks in cognitive sciences.
– **Gawronski & Bodenhausen (2015)**: *Theory and explanation in social psychology*. Chapter 1 provides a clear introduction to the essentials of theory development.
– **McGuire, W. J. (1997)**: [“Creative hypothesis generating in psychology: Some useful heuristics”](http://sing.stanford.edu/cs303-sp11/papers/mcguire_hypothesis_gen.pdf). This seminal paper presents strategies for creating significant and inventive hypotheses.
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### **7.**