Structure of G.C. Homans' Sociology

-His View of Theory and His Sociological Theory-

Abstract

We must know “what is a theory” and “what is a strategy of reaching a theory” before we construct a sociological theory. But there are few sociologists who have met this condition. G.C. Homans is one of those who have constructed sociological theories after making these questions clear.
The purpose of this paper is to examine Homans' sociological theory from the following aspects, (I) what is a theory? (II) what is the difference between his theory and the functional theory ? (III) what are the general propositions of his theory? (IV) where is his position in history of sociology?
(I) A theory, according to Homans, must meet the following conditions. It consists, (i), of a set of concepts or conceptual scheme, and (ii), of a set of propositions and the propositions form a deductive system. (iii), some of the propositions of a scientific theory must be contingent, in the sense that experience is relevent to their truth or falsity or to that of propositions derived from them.
(II) The functional theory consists of the general propositions about the conditions of social equilibrium. Has it met the requirements of theory? No. Because the general propositions are noncontingent and no definite conclusions can be drawn from them. A alternative theory is Homans' theory. It consists of the general propositions about the behavior of men.
(III) The general propositions of his theory or exchange theory, which envisages social behavior as an exchange of rewarding or costly activity between men, are five. They are “stimulus generalization proposition”, “success proposition”, “value proposition”, “diminishing value proposition” and “justice proposition”. Homans explains social phenomena, showing how they follow as conclusions from these propositions in deductive systems.
(IV) This Homans' approach is not Durkhaim's but Simmel's approach.