DYNAMICS OF THEORY CHANGE IN THE SOCIAL-SCIENCES - RELATIVE DEPRIVATION AND COLLECTIVE VIOLENCE

The extent to which theories in the social sciences are accepted or re jected on the basis of empirical tests can be shown only by a detailed analysis of specific cases. The author examines the reception by soci al scientists in the 1970s and early 1980s of T. R. Gun's theory of co llective violence based on the concept of relative deprivation. The hi story of this theory may be considered an example of definite progress in social science: a hypothesis widely accepted at one time has been tested and rejected, thus making room for the development of alternati ve hypotheses. But although Gun and other advocates of the theory have abandoned it in its original form following the mostly negative resul ts of empirical tests, many social scientists (especially psychologist s) have continued to cite it favorably. Slightly less than half of the unfavorable citations have been supported by references to empirical evidence.