The Methodological Rigor and Theoretical Precariousness in Social Psychology

Abstract

The epistemological basis of social psychological knowledge is analysed through the study of the role given to methodology by social psychologists. A central question is whether epistemological basis would be better based on a concern for methodological sophistication -be it in search of technical rigour in information seeking, or be it in the increasing complexity of data analysis- or on a concern for the theoretical advance and integration of the discipline. The consequences of this phenomenon are discussed in the light of the alternative procedures in social psychology and in the light of the historical development of the debate over the «crisis» in the discipline. It is postulated that theory generation is the sole manner of improving shortcomings in the epistemological basis of social psychology.