The document discusses several types of theories in social sciences, including developmental theories, grand theories, behavioral theories, cognitive theories, mini-theories, emergent theories, and humanistic theories. Developmental theories provide frameworks for understanding human growth and learning. Grand theories propose comprehensive ideas from major thinkers to explain human behavior but are often considered outdated. Behavioral theories are based on conditioning and dominated psychology in the early 20th century. Cognitive theories focus on internal mental processes. Mini and emergent theories describe narrow behaviors or combine ideas from various disciplines, respectively. Humanistic theories emphasized the inherent goodness of humans.

1. TYPES OF THEORY
AEX 606 Theory constructions in social sciences (2+0)
By
V.Mohanraj,
Ph.D. Scholar,
TNAU

2. DEVELOPMENTAL THEORIES
Provide a framework for thinking about human growth,
development, and learning.
Developmental theories provide a set of guiding
principles and concepts that describe and explain human
development.

3. Some developmental theories focus on the formation
of a particular quality, such as Kohlberg's theory of
moral development.
Other developmental theories focus on growth
that happens throughout the lifespan, such
as Erikson's theory of psychosocial development.

7. GRAND THEORIES
 Grand theories are those comprehensive ideas often proposed by
major thinkers such as Sigmund Freud, Erik Erikson,& Jean
Piaget.
 Psychologists and researchers often use grand theories as a
basis for exploration but consider smaller theories and recent
research as well.

8.  Grand theories of development include psychoanalytic
theory, learning theory, and cognitive theory. These theories
seek to explain much of human behavior but are often
considered outdated and incomplete in the face of modern
research.

11. BEHAVIORAL THEORIES
 Is a theory of learning based on the idea that all behaviors are
acquired through conditioning.
 Advocated by famous psychologists such as John B.
Watson & B.F. Skinner, behavioral theories dominated
psychology during the early half of the twentieth century.
 Today, behavioral techniques are still widely used in
therapeutic settings to help clients learn new skills and
behaviors.

13. COGNITIVE THEORIES
 Cognitive theories of psychology are focused on internal
states, such as motivation, problem-solving, decision-making,
thinking, and attention.
 Such theories strive to explain different mental processes
including how the mind processes information.

15. MINI-THEORIES
 Mini-theories describe a small, very particular aspect of
development.
 A mini-theory might explain relatively narrow behaviors, such
as how self-esteem is formedor early childhood socialization.
 These theories are often rooted in the ideas established by
grand theories, but they do not seek to describe and explain
the whole of human behavior and growth.

18. EMERGENT THEORIES
 Emergent theories are those that have been created relatively
recently and are often formed by systematically combining
various mini-theories. These theories often draw on research
and ideas from different disciplines but are not yet as broad or
far-reaching as grand theories.
 The sociocultural theory proposed by theorist Lev Vygotsky is
a good example of an emergent theory of development.

20. HUMANISTIC THEORIES
Humanistic psychology theories began to grow in
popularity during the 1950s. While earlier theories often focused
on abnormal behavior and psychological problems, humanist
theories instead emphasized the basic goodness of human beings.

21. SOME OF THE MAJOR HUMANIST THEORISTS
INCLUDED CARL ROGERS AND ABRAHAM MASLOW.

23. PERSONALITY THEORIES
Personality psychology looks at the patterns of thoughts,
feelings, and behavior that make a person unique. Some of the best-
known theories in psychology are devoted to the subject of
personality including the trait theory of personality.

25. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY THEORIES
Social psychology is focused on helping us understand
and explain social behavior.
Social theories are generally centered on specific social
phenomena, including group behavior,prosocial behavior, social
influence, love and much more.

34. S.No. Anthropological theories Ideas
1 Actor–network theory Maps relations that are material
(between things) and semiotic (between
concepts)
2 Cross-cultural studies Examine the scope of human
behavior and test hypotheses about
human behavior and culture
3 Alliance theory Structuralist method of studying kinship
relations
4 Trans-cultural diffusion Spread of cultural items between
individuals, whether within a single
culture or from one culture to another
5 Historical particularism Diffusion, trade, corresponding
environment, and historical accident may
create similar cultural traits
6 Systems theory Brings together natural and social
sciences to understand society in
its complexity

36. REFERENCES:
 https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-theory-
2795970
 https://slideplayer.com/slide/4005008/
 https://www.verywellmind.com/leadership-theories-
2795323