Natural law theory holds that innate laws of nature govern all humans, separate from legislated laws. It has influenced many nations and is reflected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The theory originated in ancient Greece and has been built upon by philosophers such as Aquinas, Hobbes, and Locke. Natural law includes universal ideas […]
Competitive advantage theory emphasizes producing high-quality goods and services, rather than relying on natural resources. Importing essentials allows for production anywhere, avoiding depletion of resources. Quality production generates higher profits, fueling the local economy and raising living standards. Quality ultimately outperforms lower-priced options. Competitive advantage theory is an approach to the sales and marketing process […]
Gender theory is a structuralist method of literary criticism that determines a literary work’s genre by its structure. Classical tragedy, science fiction, and self-help are examples of genres with specific characteristics. However, there can be overlap between genres, making classification difficult. Gender theory is a structuralist method of literary criticism. This means that it depends […]
Critical race theory is a broader approach to race relations than traditional civil rights, examining micro-aggressions and societal nuances. It has spread to many disciplines and questions the normative acceptance of ‘whiteness’. The field is ever-evolving and offers hope for a more equal world. Critical race theory is a way of looking at race relations, […]
Realistic conflict theory explains that groups have more friction when competing for resources and are more cooperative with unified goals. The Robber’s Cave experiment demonstrated this, as did US immigration waves. Shared goals can eliminate discrimination and promote harmony between groups. Realistic conflict theory posits that groups tend to have more friction with each other […]
Optimality theory is a linguistic theory of constraints and constraint classification, particularly in phonology, developed by Prince and Smolensky in the 1990s. It explains how a speaker’s phonological processes generate or regulate output using fidelity and markedness constraints. Constraints are universal, but their classification varies between languages. A unique graph is used to identify the […]
Arbitrage pricing theory helps set the pricing model for stocks by representing the anticipated return on any asset as a linear calculation of macroeconomic factors and market indices. It is commonly used in today’s stock market to analyze current conditions and respond accordingly. One of the first things to understand about arbitrage pricing theory is […]
The quantity theory of money states that inflation increases when the total quantity of money increases. The theory has been around for centuries and has undergone criticism, but the mathematical formula M*V=P*T is accepted as the basic equation of how a money supply relates to monetary inflation. Critics argue that velocity is unpredictable and the […]
The affect theory suggests that humans are motivated by emotional states, which can be classified as positive, neutral, or negative. Understanding and managing these emotions can lead to better mental health. Silvan S. Tomkins created the theory, which challenges Freud’s drive theory and Skinner’s behaviorism. Critics argue that it lacks practical application in therapy. The […]
The theory of multiple intelligences proposes that humans have different types of intelligence, which contradicts the traditional view of intelligence as a single entity. Howard Gardner originally proposed seven types, later adding an eighth. The theory has been implemented in various ways in schools, but critics argue it lacks scientific validity. The theory of multiple […]
Organizational leadership theory defines how an entity is governed through an individual who dedicates their life to its functioning. Trait, behavioral, and participatory theories are common types, with owners, managers, and board members setting the tone. Trait theory focuses on the characteristics needed to be a great leader, while behavioral theory suggests that an organization […]
As individuals age, they become more selective with how they spend their time and resources, focusing on emotionally important activities and objects. This is known as socio-emotional selectivity theory, which also suggests a positive bias and varying degrees of selectivity based on one’s perception of time. Aging and emotionally impactful experiences can influence this perception. […]
Expectations theory is a strategy used by investors to predict future interest rate performance by evaluating current interest rates over the long term. While some believe in its merit, others argue that it is flawed and should be used in conjunction with other strategies. The theory can be too simple and miss important data, and […]
Social learning theory emphasizes learning through observation within a social environment, influenced by reward and punishment systems. Albert Bandura incorporated cognitive and behavioral learning, while Julian Rotter emphasized expected outcomes. Bandura added Lev Vygotsky’s theory of social development, proposing a mutual relationship between environmental, cognitive, and behavioral influences. Attention is the most significant factor in […]
The theory of value examines the worth of people or things in terms of utility, economics, legal, moral, aesthetic, or quantitative value. It underlies all behaviors and can be maintained individually or socially. In psychology, it analyzes human values and behavior, while in sociology, it examines personal values and their influence on behavior in social […]
The dividend irrelevance theory suggests that a company’s dividend policy should not affect the price of its shares, as investors can always sell shares to generate cash flow. Supporters argue that investors can benefit regardless of the dividend policy, while detractors argue that it can impact investment decisions and taxes. The dividend irrelevance theory is […]
Rhetorical theory studies the linguistic, cognitive, cultural, and philosophical effects of rhetoric. It includes pathos (emotional appeal), ethos (perceived character or experience), and logos (logic). Rhetoricians use these skills to persuade listeners, and students analyze their effects. Rhetorical theory is the theory that examines rhetoric in terms of its linguistic, cognitive, cultural, and philosophical implications […]
Social identity theory explains how people develop a sense of belonging to groups and how intergroup discrimination works. Categorization, personal identification, and comparison are key mechanisms. People can belong to multiple groups, and comparison creates favorable distinctions to boost self-worth. Social identity theory is a theory designed to explain how people develop a sense of […]
Elliott Wave Theory is a technical analysis used to predict stock market trends by monitoring price wave patterns and collective psychology. It divides waves into impulse waves and corrective waves, which repeat in cycles of different time scales. It works on probabilities and is a careful and mathematical way of exploiting the odds in favor […]
Conversation theory studies how knowledge is constructed through interactions between parties, including artificial intelligence entities. It seeks to define how parties come to a mutual understanding of concepts or perform cognitive work. It covers different types of conversation and helps inform technologies such as decision support software and artificial intelligence. Conversation theory is the general […]
