Abstract

Some Methodological Problems of Kuhn’s Self Theory CHARLES W. TUCKER, University of South Carolina MANFORD KUHN in his review of twenty-five years of symbolic inter- action theory noted that the “oral tradition” had sustained the theory during the years preceding the “age of inquiry.”’ And, as Kuhn has accurately noted, this “age of inquiry” has utilized differ- ent subtheories and there was little consensus or “formalization” which preceded the empirical studies.2 This is true for Kuhn’s own theory as well as for the other subtheories of the orientation. It is the purpose of this paper to correct this condition for Kuhn’s theory. In doing this I have brought together, in a syste- matic manner, the ideas, definitions, assumptions, and propositions of the work of Kuhn and his students.3 With this foundation, I discuss several methodological problems of the theory which have not been previously investigated. It is hoped that this effort will contribute to the “age of inquiry” in Symbolic Interaction Theory. This part includes the assumptions, propositions and terms of the the~ry.~ Initially, it is important to recognize that Kuhn distin- guished between the cultural-institutional view and the social- psychological view of human activity. He considered the latter