With over 400 counseling theories, how do we sort through them? As part of this series on critical thinking, in this post, I will finish outlining the steps for evaluating a counseling theory:
- Parsimony: a theory contains a minimum of complexity, is economically constructed with a limited number of concepts, and contains few assumptions. For example, a theory that states a = b except on rainy Sundays in Kansas, or only when c, d, and e are present, or only when….etc, etc, etc, is not a good theory.
- Comprehensiveness: a theory is comprehensive if it completely covers the topic that is modeled by the theory. Comprehensiveness means that a theory accounts for all known data in the field to which it applies. Back to the unconscious males theory, if there is data that exists refuting the influence of the unconscious, and the theory does not address the discrepancy, it is not a comprehensive theory. Or if the theory does not fully explain the role of the unconscious, say if it only states that the unconscious influences the male negatively, it is not a comprehensive theory.
- Operationality: the extent to which a theory can be reduced to procedures for testing its propositions. Its concepts must be precise enough to be measurable. Again back to the unconscious male theory. A vague theory such as that cannot be tested because it fails to state in detail how the unconscious affects the male.
- Empirical Validity or Verifiability: the degree to which a theory is supported by experience and experiments that confirm its validity. If no examples can be identified supporting the theory, and it has never been tested, it is not a good theory.
- Fruitfulness: the potential of a theory to yield hypotheses or predictions that can be tested. Theories that are too vague are not fruitful. Theories that are too abstract are not fruitful. Our unconscious male theory is not fruitful because it is too vague.
- Practicality: theory is practical if it is useful to researchers and practitioners in organizing their thinking about the phenomenon modeled by the theory. For example, a theory that states conditions that are only present during scenarios that are difficult to isolate (i.e. females tend to have abandonment issues when their great-grandparents on their mother’s side have substance abuse issues) are not practical theories.
Yours in the Joy of Knowledge,
Dr. Barbara LoFrisco
