Brian D Haig
Biographic Data
| ID | 4493294 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Brian D Haig |
| GIVEN NAMES | Brian D |
| FAMILY NAME | Haig |
| SIGNATURE | HAIG B D |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Canterbury |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-9003-6100 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 23 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 15 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 23 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1975 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Repositioning Construct Validity Theory
In this article, I argue for a number of important changes to the conceptual foundations of construct validity theory. I begin by suggesting that construct validity theorists should shift their attention from the validation of constructs to the process of evaluating scientific theories. This shift in focus is facilitated by distinguishing construct validation (understood as theory evaluation) from test validation, thereby freeing it from its long…
Should psychology adopt Bhaskar’s critical realist philosophy of science
Robert Archer argues that psychology should abandon its use of Karl Popper’s philosophy of science. He recommends that psychology ought to adopt the philosophy of critical realism in its place. I put Archer’s concern with Popper to one side and provide a selective critique of mainstream critical realism, in the light of some developments in contemporary philosophy of science. I express some misgivings about the ontological commitments of Roy Bhas…
Varieties of realism and their bearing on psychology
Translating science into practice in clinical psychology
The model of evidence-based practice (EBP) directs clinicians to integrate the best available research evidence, clinical expertise, client preferences and values, and social and cultural factors in the assessment and treatment of psychological problems. Despite its many strengths, the five-step inquiry component of the EBP model suffers from several conceptual and practical problems that make it difficult to implement in practice. In this articl…
Theory Construction Methodology
This article aims to improve theory formation in psychology by developing a practical methodology for constructing explanatory theories: theory construction methodology (TCM). TCM is a sequence of five steps. First, the theorist identifies a domain of empirical phenomena that becomes the target of explanation. Second, the theorist constructs a prototheory , a set of theoretical principles that putatively explain these phenomena. Third, the protot…
Scientific realism with correspondence truth
Asay (2018) criticizes our contention that psychologists do best to adhere to a substantive theory of correspondence truth. He argues that deflationary theory can serve the same purposes as correspondence theory. In the present article we argue that (a) scientific realism, broadly construed, requires a version of correspondence theory and (b) contrary to Asay’s suggestion, correspondence theory does have important additional resources over deflat…
Realism after postmodernism
Assuming the death knell of postmodernism in educational theory, what should replace it? In a word, my answer is ‘Realism’, or more precisely, ‘Scientific realism’ (Haig & Evers, 2016), although, i
Tests of Statistical Significance Made Sound
This article considers the nature and place of tests of statistical significance (ToSS) in science, with particular reference to psychology. Despite the enormous amount of attention given to this topic, psychology’s understanding of ToSS remains deficient. The major problem stems from a widespread and uncritical acceptance of null hypothesis significance testing (NHST), which is an indefensible amalgam of ideas adapted from Fisher’s thinking on t…
Realist Inquiry in Social Sciences
Realist Inquiry in Social Science is an invaluable guide to conducting realist research. Written by highly regarded experts in the field, the first part of the book sets out the fundamentals necessary for rigorous realist research, while the second part deals with a number of its most important applications, discussing it in the context of case studies, action research and grounded theory amongst other approaches.Grounded in philosophical methodo…
Investigating the Psychological World
In defense of correspondence truth
In his response to our article, Keith Markus argues that our recommendation that psychologists adopt correspondence truth is not supported by sound argument. In our rejoinder, we show that Markus’s critique only has force against a minor part of our article. Additionally, we show that he does not accurately reconstruct our argument in favor of correspondence truth. Moreover, we rebut two of his arguments for taking up alternative theories of trut…
Truth, science, and psychology
According to the correspondence theory of truth, a proposition is true if and only if the world is as the proposition says it is. This theory has been both promoted and rejected by philosophers and scientists down through time. In this paper, we adopt the correspondence theory as a plausible theory of truth and relate it to science. First, we briefly outline the major extant theories of truth. We then present the correspondence theory in a form t…
Exploratory Factor Analysis, Theory Generation, and Scientific Method
This article examines the methodological foundations of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and suggests that it is properly construed as a method for generating explanatory theories. In the first half of the article it is argued that EFA should be understood as an abductive method of theory generation that exploits an important precept of scientific inference known as the principle of the common cause. This characterization of the inferential natu…
Truth, method, and postmodern psychology
Truth, method, and postmodern psychology
Explaining the use of statistical methods
Explaining the use of statistical methods
Abductive reasoning and clinical assessment
Clinical reasoning is one of the central components of psychological assessment. The identification of a client's psychological difficulties and the subsequent depiction of their onset, development, and interrelationships enables clinicians to plan treatment in a systematic and effective manner. Traditionally, the hypothetico-deductive conception of scientific method, with its restricted focus on the testing of hypotheses, has provided the framew…
From Nuisance Variables to Explanatory Theories
Theorizing Practical Intelligence
(1990). Theorizing Practical Intelligence: Essay Review of R. J. Sternberg and R. K. Wagner, Eds., Practical Intelligence. Educational Philosophy and Theory: Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 40-44
Scientific problems and the conduct of research
(1987). Scientific problems and the conduct of research. Educational Philosophy and Theory: Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 22-32
In Defense of Power Ascriptions in Psychology
The Logic of Ability Concepts
(1975). The Logic of Ability Concepts* Educational Philosophy and Theory: Vol. 7, No. 2, pp. 47-67
Scientific problems and the conduct of research
(1987). Scientific problems and the conduct of research. Educational Philosophy and Theory: Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 22-32
Abductive reasoning and clinical assessment
Clinical reasoning is one of the central components of psychological assessment. The identification of a client's psychological difficulties and the subsequent depiction of their onset, development, and interrelationships enables clinicians to plan treatment in a systematic and effective manner. Traditionally, the hypothetico-deductive conception of scientific method, with its restricted focus on the testing of hypotheses, has provided the framew…
From Nuisance Variables to Explanatory Theories
The Logic of Ability Concepts
(1975). The Logic of Ability Concepts* Educational Philosophy and Theory: Vol. 7, No. 2, pp. 47-67
In Defense of Power Ascriptions in Psychology
Scientific problems and the conduct of research
(1987). Scientific problems and the conduct of research. Educational Philosophy and Theory: Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 22-32
Theorizing Practical Intelligence
(1990). Theorizing Practical Intelligence: Essay Review of R. J. Sternberg and R. K. Wagner, Eds., Practical Intelligence. Educational Philosophy and Theory: Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 40-44
From Nuisance Variables to Explanatory Theories
Abductive reasoning and clinical assessment
Clinical reasoning is one of the central components of psychological assessment. The identification of a client's psychological difficulties and the subsequent depiction of their onset, development, and interrelationships enables clinicians to plan treatment in a systematic and effective manner. Traditionally, the hypothetico-deductive conception of scientific method, with its restricted focus on the testing of hypotheses, has provided the framew…
Explaining the use of statistical methods
Explaining the use of statistical methods
Truth, method, and postmodern psychology
Truth, method, and postmodern psychology
Exploratory Factor Analysis, Theory Generation, and Scientific Method
This article examines the methodological foundations of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and suggests that it is properly construed as a method for generating explanatory theories. In the first half of the article it is argued that EFA should be understood as an abductive method of theory generation that exploits an important precept of scientific inference known as the principle of the common cause. This characterization of the inferential natu…
Truth, science, and psychology
According to the correspondence theory of truth, a proposition is true if and only if the world is as the proposition says it is. This theory has been both promoted and rejected by philosophers and scientists down through time. In this paper, we adopt the correspondence theory as a plausible theory of truth and relate it to science. First, we briefly outline the major extant theories of truth. We then present the correspondence theory in a form t…
In defense of correspondence truth
In his response to our article, Keith Markus argues that our recommendation that psychologists adopt correspondence truth is not supported by sound argument. In our rejoinder, we show that Markus’s critique only has force against a minor part of our article. Additionally, we show that he does not accurately reconstruct our argument in favor of correspondence truth. Moreover, we rebut two of his arguments for taking up alternative theories of trut…
Investigating the Psychological World
Realist Inquiry in Social Sciences
Realist Inquiry in Social Science is an invaluable guide to conducting realist research. Written by highly regarded experts in the field, the first part of the book sets out the fundamentals necessary for rigorous realist research, while the second part deals with a number of its most important applications, discussing it in the context of case studies, action research and grounded theory amongst other approaches.Grounded in philosophical methodo…
Tests of Statistical Significance Made Sound
This article considers the nature and place of tests of statistical significance (ToSS) in science, with particular reference to psychology. Despite the enormous amount of attention given to this topic, psychology’s understanding of ToSS remains deficient. The major problem stems from a widespread and uncritical acceptance of null hypothesis significance testing (NHST), which is an indefensible amalgam of ideas adapted from Fisher’s thinking on t…
Scientific realism with correspondence truth
Asay (2018) criticizes our contention that psychologists do best to adhere to a substantive theory of correspondence truth. He argues that deflationary theory can serve the same purposes as correspondence theory. In the present article we argue that (a) scientific realism, broadly construed, requires a version of correspondence theory and (b) contrary to Asay’s suggestion, correspondence theory does have important additional resources over deflat…
Realism after postmodernism
Assuming the death knell of postmodernism in educational theory, what should replace it? In a word, my answer is ‘Realism’, or more precisely, ‘Scientific realism’ (Haig & Evers, 2016), although, i
Theory Construction Methodology
This article aims to improve theory formation in psychology by developing a practical methodology for constructing explanatory theories: theory construction methodology (TCM). TCM is a sequence of five steps. First, the theorist identifies a domain of empirical phenomena that becomes the target of explanation. Second, the theorist constructs a prototheory , a set of theoretical principles that putatively explain these phenomena. Third, the protot…
Varieties of realism and their bearing on psychology
Translating science into practice in clinical psychology
The model of evidence-based practice (EBP) directs clinicians to integrate the best available research evidence, clinical expertise, client preferences and values, and social and cultural factors in the assessment and treatment of psychological problems. Despite its many strengths, the five-step inquiry component of the EBP model suffers from several conceptual and practical problems that make it difficult to implement in practice. In this articl…
Should psychology adopt Bhaskar’s critical realist philosophy of science
Robert Archer argues that psychology should abandon its use of Karl Popper’s philosophy of science. He recommends that psychology ought to adopt the philosophy of critical realism in its place. I put Archer’s concern with Popper to one side and provide a selective critique of mainstream critical realism, in the light of some developments in contemporary philosophy of science. I express some misgivings about the ontological commitments of Roy Bhas…
Repositioning Construct Validity Theory
In this article, I argue for a number of important changes to the conceptual foundations of construct validity theory. I begin by suggesting that construct validity theorists should shift their attention from the validation of constructs to the process of evaluating scientific theories. This shift in focus is facilitated by distinguishing construct validation (understood as theory evaluation) from test validation, thereby freeing it from its long…
Epistemology (18 works) · Philosophy (15 works) · Psychology (15 works) · Academic and Historical Perspectives in Psychology (8 works) · Philosophy and History of Science (8 works) · Sociology (8 works) · Philosophy (7 works) · Computer Science (6 works) · Realism (5 works) · Artificial Intelligence (4 works)