2 - Different Types of Theoritical Unit, Pendulam Theory of Fashion, Theoritical Framework

THEORETICALU
NITS
Theoretical Perspectives for DHM
Fall
2022
THEORETICAL EXPLANATION
statement of sequential relationships
among things or ideas
THEORETICAL EXPLANATION
verbal statement of sequential relationships
among things or ideas
THINGS or IDEAS = NOUNS
RELATIONSHIPS = VERBS
Names for Theoretical THINGS or IDEAS
CONCEPT
CONCEPT = mental idea

CONCEPTS = mental ideas
VERY BROAD
many different kinds of mental ideas
DESIGN CONCEPT
approach to design problem

Too personal, as many different cocnepts as there are people
DIVERSE MEANING = IMPRECISE

not for discussions of theory
CONSTRUCT
CONSTRUCT = idea formed (constructed) in mind of scientist

CONSTRUCT = idea formed (constructed)
Scientists “constructed” idea of atoms
long before existence was verified

CONSTRUCT = idea formed (constructed)
DISADVANTAGES
Not all theoretical THINGS are mental constructs
some are observable phenomena

CONSTRUCT = idea formed (constructed) in mind of scientist
DISADVANTAGES
Not all theoretical THINGS are mental constructs
some are observable phenomena

UNIT
UNIT = single entity

Think of a train as theory that is made up of multiple cars, one
of those cars is a unit
Closer in meaning to a theoretical THING or IDEA


As researchers we get to pick the explanation for a the
focus of a study (Department of DM or Fashion
Merhcandising or Interior Design or Apparel Design
SINGULAR & MUTUALLY

EXCLUSIVE
Closer in meaning to a theoretical THING or IDEA
word used in this class

VARIABLE
VARIABLE
theoretical unit selected for testing during research,
it’s a singular entity, but it’s how we’re using the singular
entity
(Train car become a variable if we are using in a research

study in the reasons behind train accidents, i.e. Train car
1 hit Train car 2 which resulted in the derailment)
VARIABLE
theoretical unit selected for testing during research,
it’s a singular entity, but it’s how we’re using the singular
entity
You as the researcher get to make the determination of

which units are to become variables to be tested in your
study. If the researcher does not make the distinctions, it
can get very complex and very confusing very quickly.
Pendulum Theory of Fashion Change
Set-of-Laws statement
STYLE
REVERSAL
Set-of-Laws statement
observation
STYLE
REVERSAL
Causal Theory
observed outcome
? STYLE
sequential progression of theoretical units
REVERSAL
consumer market Doesn’t just need to be

boredom saturation fashion change.
Can you think of other
declining sales examples of oversaturation
in a market? Art, music, etc.
declining profits
observed outcome
design for STYLE

“differentness” REVERSAL
UNIT UNIT
consumer market
boredom saturation
declining sales
UNIT
declining profits
UNIT observed outcome
design for STYLE

UNIT “differentness” REVERSAL
UNIT
UNIT UNIT
consumer market
boredom saturation Not just the unit, it’s
the relationship.
leads to declining sales leads to May not always be
UNIT one directional
leads to
declining profits
leads to
design for leads to STYLE
UNIT
UNIT UNIT
consumer
boredom
market
saturation
CAUSAL
leads to declining sales leads to
UNIT
leads to
THEORY
The reasons behind
style reversal which
can be tested
declining profits
leads to
design for leads to STYLE
UNIT
Scientific process ... research testing
Ex. OK, let’s do a survey of what

consumer market
people think of skinny skirts right
boredom saturation
now or let’s do a market analysis of
sales of skinny skirts or for those
declining sales
who might be buying the newest
trends, focus group of what they
are looking for in skirt styles
declining profits
design for STYLE

You can break down your research

consumer market
questions in so many ways
boredom saturation
depending on the way that your
units are aligned in a theory. Now
declining sales
easy to visualize and talk about.
declining profits
design for STYLE

This is hard cognitive work. This

consumer market
looks like little squares and arrows,
boredom saturation
but it is really hard work to break
causal relationships down. Be sure
declining sales
to give yourself a break as you start
to understand this new way of
thinking.
declining profits
design for STYLE

consumer market
boredom saturation
declining sales
UNIT ideas = measurable VARIABLES

declining profits
design for STYLE

consumer market
boredom saturation
declining sales Remember

declining profits
design for STYLE

Theoretical Units (variables) must be clearly defined
consumer market
boredom saturation
declining sales
declining profits
design for STYLE

Theoretical Units (variables) must be clearly defined
consumer market
boredom saturation
declining sales AVOID VAGUE

UNIT
declining profits
design for STYLE TERMINOLOG

“differentness” REVERSAL Y
Theoretical UNITS =
often components of larger complex things
Theoretical UNITS =
often components of larger complex things
COMPLEXITY = NOT TESTABLE

What is an example of a singular unit which is very complex?
UNITS = components of larger complex things
Don’t theorize about and test . . .
relationship of HUMANS to their ENVIRONMENT

Needs to be broken down into specific aspect of humans and
specific aspects of the environment to be testable (ex. Person’s
competencies in relation to the stressors of the environment)
Knowing what you want to find out will help determine the
units to be used as variables, again not picking things out of a
hat, instead, based on what is important to you put things into
the hat to find the study that is important to you.
UNITS = Base components of larger complex things
Don’t theorize about and test . . .
relationship of HUMANS to their ENVIRONMENT
COMPLEX
THINGS
UNITS = components of larger complex things
THEORIZE AND TEST
relationships of ...
distinct characteristics (properties) of HUMANS
TO
distinct characteristics (properties) of the ENVIRONMENT

distinct characteristics of HUMANS

TO
distinct characteristics of the ENVIRONMENT
• respiratory disease - environmental air quality


TO
• mental stress - green space


TO
• mental stress - green space
• desire for privacy - population density

Theorizing about relationship
among complex things
not useful for problem solving

(One of the hardest parts of research is really
drilling down what exactly you want to
know.)
Example: theorize / test for relationship between
CANCER & ETHNICITY
Complex thing
CANCER & properties of ETHNICITY

• physique (body size/shape)
• diet
• emotional attributes
• geographic location
• family relationships
CANCER & ETHNICITY

Results: Asians have less cancer than Caucasians
CANCER & ETHNICITY

Results: Asians have less cancer than Caucasians
Does this fact tell us what to do to reduce

Caucasian cancer?

• average height &
Results weight
Asian diet = lower cancer
• diet rate
• emotional attributes American diet = higher

cancer rate

• average height &
weight
Results
• diet suggest WHAT TO DO to
reduce Caucasian
• emotional attributes
Cancer
?
Theoretical UNITS
singular, simple (not complex),

mutually exclusive
Theory building
process of mental creativity

Theory building
consumer market
boredom saturation
declining sales
Building Blocks =
UNITS
declining profits
Mortar = RELATIONSHIPS
design for STYLE

Theory building
Some building blocks (UNITS) may not be

observable realities at time of theorizing
Theory building
Some building blocks (UNITS) may not be

observable realities at time of theorizing
GERMS & ATOMS

imagined and theorized about
long before seen
PROVEN (OBSERVED) UNITS = REAL UNITS
IMAGINED (UNOBSERVED) UNITS = NOMINAL UNITS
Examples of each of these?

NOMINAL = in name only or so-called

Before observed, viruses = NOMINAL UNIT

Some ideas about

characteristics
EXTREME NOMINAL UNIT = PRIMITIVE UNIT

Unknown thing with
UNKNOWN CHARACTERISTICS
Unknown thing with UNKNOWN CHARACTERISTICS
intervening variable
X
X
something is causing this to happen
Words used to express a UNIT
should indicate WHO/WHAT theorizing about

YOU (the theorist)
DECIDE the scope of your theorizing
The idea of user-centered design want to know what a

set of needs are before we can find out how to solve
them. (i.e. many aspects of studying addiction). Test,
update theory, test again….
SCOPE indicates who/what to include in

research sample
indicates who/what to include in

research sample
(what are your tools?)
EARSS
Enumerative Unit (THING)
• characteristic of all members of the population

Enumerative Unit
•no condition exists in designated population of member

without characteristic
Enumerative Unit

• can never be a zero value for the characteristic (i.e. age if

we are human, not a human if we are a zero)
Enumerative Unit

• can never be a zero value for the characteristic
Example: “People with household

If a person has income it will always be more than zero.
income”
Enumerative Unit
Example: “People with household income”
May be expressed as
Gradient Enumerative Unit
Theorizing about gradients of characteristic

Enumerative Unit
May be expressed as
Variable Enumerative Unit

Example: “People with household income”
Example: Low income vs. Median income vs. High income

Enumerative Unit
May be expressed as
Gradient Enumerative Unit
Example: Low income vs. Median income vs. High income
(research population = people who have income . . . N O ZERO VALUE)
Someone who does not have income can not be a part of this research
Associative Unit
• characteristic not unanimous within a population

Associative Unit
•characteristic not unanimous within a population
•condition exists where some members of population may

lack characteristic
Associative Unit

lack characteristic
• some may have zero value for the characteristic

Associative Unit

lack characteristic
Example: Household income
• Can be zero, it’s not the people with the income, it’s just the income
Associative Unit

lack characteristic
Example: Household income
• Anxiety levels vs. People with anxiety

Associative Unit
May be expressed as
Attributional Associative Unit
Associative Unit
May be expressed as
Units expressed as all or none

Associative Unit
May be expressed as
Theorizing about people who do vs. who don’t

Associative Unit
May be expressed as
Theorizing about people who do vs. who don’t
Example: People with vs. people without income

Associative Unit
May be expressed as
Variable Associative Unit
Associative Unit
May be expressed as

Associative Unit
May be expressed as
Example: no income vs. low income vs. high income
(research population = people with & without income = ZERO VALUE)

Relational Unit
•unit = reaction/result of interaction about 2 or more basic

properties
Relational Unit

properties
Example: Physique
Relational Unit

properties
Example: Physique = height + weight +

muscle + fat...
Relational Unit

properties
X+Y Z
Relational Unit

properties
X+Y Z
Relational Unit

properties
X+Y Z
(A + B + C) + Y Z
Relational Unit

properties
wealth + Y
Z
Relational Unit

properties
wealth + Y
Z
Remember in some countries wealth is determined by
(cash+investments+material goods) + Y
how many goats you have not how many Mercedes
Z
you have so there are cultural factors to be addressed
to. Who is your population for this specific study?
Relational Unit

properties
wealth + Y
(cash+investments+material goods) + Y Z
IMPORTANT: clearly define relational

terms
Statistical Unit
Unit identified with words indicating statistical position in a

research population
Statistical Unit

research population (Statistics is study of probability such as
demographic voting in elections) Good for projections
• Central Tendency
Statistical Unit

research population
• Dispersion
Statistical Unit

research population
• Dispersion
• Relative Position
Statistical Unit
Central Tendency
MODE: Most common (frequent) value in a distribution
Statistical Unit
Central Tendency
MEDIAN: Middle value in a distributional range of values

Statistical Unit
Central Tendency
MEAN: Mathematical average of all observed values in a distribution

Statistical Unit
Central Tendency
MEAN: Mathematical average of all observed values in a distribution
Example:
Economic Conditions X + Y+ Z Decline in income modal

/median / mean
Statistical Unit
Dispersion
Word indicating range of values for unit
Statistical Unit
Dispersion
Word indicating range of values for unit
Example:
Homogeneous political opinions (narrow range)
Heterogeneous political opinions (wider range)

Statistical Unit
Relative Position
Unit = word(s) representing 1 or more sections of values in a
distribution of values
Statistical Unit
Relative Position
Example:
Income
low medium high

Statistical Unit
Relative Position
Example:
Income
low medium high
High Income + X + Y = type Z consumer behavior

Ex. To determine where they might shop Target vs. Neiman Marcus
Statistical Unit
Relative Position
Example: Who are you designing for?

Life cycle costing.
Quality control, etc.
low medium high
High Income + X + Y = type Z consumer behavior

Ex. To determine where they might shop Target vs. Neiman Marcus
Summative Unit
Unit = complex configuration of diverse properties

Summative Unit
A relational unit so complex - Identity of individual units get

lost
Summative Unit

lost
THING - not a property of the thing

Summative Unit

lost
THING - not a property of the thing

Example:
humans ... the environment ... the government ... culture

Summative Unit
COMPLEXITY = UNTESTABLE
Example:
humans ... the environment ... the government ... culture

Summative Unit
Example: Break things down so that they are understandable
humans ... How to defi ne a human’s behavior

Summative Unit
Example:
16 basic personality types based on Myers-Briggs Test

Myers-Briggs Personality Types
Example:
16 basic personality types based on Myers-Briggs Test

(1962) to understand diff erences in people’s behaviors
Introvert or Extrovert
Sensing or iNtuition (Information Processing)
Feeling or Thinking (Decision Making)
Judging or Perceiving (Orientation to World)
SCIENTIFIC PROCESS
OBSERVATIONS
THEORY
RESEARCH
SCIENTIFIC PROCESS
Initial Observation may =

TWO sequential variables
OBSERVATIONS
THEORY
RESEARCH
Example:
Child denied ice cream Screaming & Crying
OBSERVATIONS
THEORY
RESEARCH
To develop a theory . . . WHAT is the FIRST STEP?

GENERALIZE
Bigger way of saying this?

Frustrated desire
Frustrated desire
Frustrated desire Emotional Agitation

Frustrated desire WHY? Emotional Agitation

Frustrated desire WHY? Emotional Agitation
Sequential theorizing goes in between 2 observations

2 - Different Types of Theoritical Unit, Pendulam Theory of Fashion, Theoritical Framework

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THEORETICALU

THINGS or IDEAS = NOUNS

CONCEPT = mental idea

CONCEPTS = mental ideas

CONCEPTS = mental ideas

CONCEPTS = mental ideas

DIVERSE MEANING = IMPRECISE

CONSTRUCT = idea formed (constructed) in mind of scientist

CONSTRUCT = idea formed (constructed)

Scientists “constructed” idea of atoms

long before existence was verified

CONSTRUCT = idea formed (constructed)

Not all theoretical THINGS are mental constructs

some are observable phenomena

CONSTRUCT = idea formed (constructed) in mind of scientist

Not all theoretical THINGS are mental constructs

some are observable phenomena

UNIT = single entity

UNIT = single entity

Closer in meaning to a theoretical THING or IDEA

UNIT = single entity

SINGULAR & MUTUALLY

UNIT = single entity

Closer in meaning to a theoretical THING or IDEA

word used in this class

(Train car become a variable if we are using in a research

You as the researcher get to make the determination of

consumer market Doesn’t just need to be

design for STYLE

design for STYLE

Ex. OK, let’s do a survey of what

design for STYLE

You can break down your research

design for STYLE

This is hard cognitive work. This

design for STYLE

UNIT ideas = measurable VARIABLES

design for STYLE

declining sales Remember

design for STYLE

Theoretical Units (variables) must be clearly defined

design for STYLE

Theoretical Units (variables) must be clearly defined

declining sales AVOID VAGUE

design for STYLE TERMINOLOG

COMPLEXITY = NOT TESTABLE

Don’t theorize about and test . . .

relationship of HUMANS to their ENVIRONMENT

Don’t theorize about and test . . .

relationship of HUMANS to their ENVIRONMENT

THEORIZE AND TEST

distinct characteristics (properties) of HUMANS

distinct characteristics (properties) of the ENVIRONMENT

distinct characteristics of HUMANS

• respiratory disease - environmental air quality

distinct characteristics of HUMANS

• respiratory disease - environmental air quality

• mental stress - green space

distinct characteristics of HUMANS

• respiratory disease - environmental air quality

• mental stress - green space

• desire for privacy - population density