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What is This?
ing knowledge. This function is carried out Logic involves mental operations of human
through research that tests hypotheses, an- beings, one of which is conception (Cohen. &
swers research questions, or provides qualita-
tive data about phenomena in nursing. Nagel, 1962). Conception is knowing some-
One definition of theory that is quoted fre- thing beyond the level of sensation (Inhelder
& Piaget, 1964). A concept is an abstraction
quently is: &dquo;a theory is a set of interrelated that provides knowledge about the essence of
constructs (concepts), definitions, and propo-
sitions that presents a systematic view of phe- things,; to know facts is to know that certain
things are applied. Theory construction and
nomena by specifying relationships among testing require some understanding of the na-
variables with the purpose of explaining and ture of a concept.
predicting the phenomena&dquo; (Kerlinger, 1973,
p. 9). A theory is a body of propositions, a set
of concepts. A concept is an idea, an abstrac- Nature of concepts
tion. In a theory, concepts are the terms to
A concept is a mental image of a thing, a
which meaning has been assigned. The road
to testing theory is paved with concepts, the person, or an object. It is an idea in ones mind
formed by a generalization from specific con-
categories of a theory, the building blocks, the crete experiences (Kaplan, 1964). Ideas are
essential elements, the foundation for devel-
classified as or concrete (e.g.,
(a) particular
opment of scientific theories. They serve as a rain or (b) universal or abstract (e.g.,
pain) or
guide for observations in the empirical world. weather or health). Concepts are shared
The focus of this article is to share some ob-
servations about the nature and function of through words, which are the symbols used to
express concepts. Initially, one communicates
concepts and to demonstrate a process for de- ideas through language, which is composed of
veloping concepts. An example of developing words.
one of the critical concepts of a theory through
research (King, 1981) is reviewed.
Key Words: Concept, Theory, Concept Development, Some words, such as government, person, or
Transactions culture, in a language deal with concepts, uni-
*
Received October 9, 1987 versal terms that characterize properties and
Accepted October 23, 1987 relations of a class of things, persons, or ob-
*University of South Florida, Tampa, FL. jects. Word explication is one method of dis-
covering underlying concepts. Words provide
a means of organizing ideas, which in turn
bring order to disconnected observations and
22
others of the same class. 1. Identify sensory perceptions from ones con-
A class consists of the general names given crete environment.
to persons or things (e.g., cat or table) and can 2. Name sensory perceptions related to per-
be interpreted in two ways: (a) the connotation sons, things, or objects. Naming requires the
or intension of the term, which is the sum of use of word symbols, which are called terms.
its characteristics and answers the question 3. Differentiate/discriminate sensory experi-
&dquo;What is it?&dquo; or (b) the denotation or extension ences related to persons, things, and objects
in ones environment. The common charac-
of the term, which is the individual or thing to
teristics of a concept are organized into cat-
which the term applies.
The essential characteristics of a concept egories. For example, a dog is an animal with
four legs, a body, a head, etc., characteristics
discriminate one thing from another. For ex- common to all members of a class named
ample, weather is characterized by rain, ice, dog. Some dogs are different and have char-
sleet, snow, fog, or sunshine whereas pain is acteristics that serve to identify and distin-
characterized by words such as unpleasant, guish a dog that is a French poodle from a
sharp, affective, and perceptual. Conception, dog that is a fox terrier. Another example is
then, is simple apprehension. When simple the word chair, a class of inanimate objects
with some common characteristics, such as
apprehension occurs, the essential character- and
istics make up its comprehension. Compre- having a seat, having substance, being
nonsentient. However, one may discrimi-
hension of a concept is called intension or
nate a chair in the formal dining room from
connotation. A concept is identified by means a chair on the patio by their differences.
of extension or denotation. Extension is not 4. Formulate generalizations about persons,
the concept but the objects to which the con- things, or objects in ones environment
cept refers or applies. Extension is the totality through a process of inductive and deductive
of objects to which it may be applied. Simple thinking (King, 1975).
apprehension involves abstraction and results The process described above explains the
in a concept. way one develops concepts that represent
ones substantive knowledge. When building
scientific knowledge, nurses select concepts
Logic involves mental operations of relevant for nursing, identify the characteris-
human beings. tics, and validate them in research. Concept
development is demonstrated here in the way
one concept of one nursing theory was devel-
The process by which the mind forms a con- oped.
cept does not involve an act of judgment. A
concept is knowing what something is without
affirming or denying anything about it. A basic Concept Development
function of concepts is to know the essence
Concept development is a critical and reflec-
and describe the nature of things. tive awareness of the meaning of a term.
Analysis of research related to concepts as-
Functions of concepts sists in identification of the characteristics of
mon to all human beings with an intact sen- acteristics of the concept (King, 1981, pp. 80-
23
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