Concept

Theory

A theory is a broad explanatory framework that accounts for larger bodies of data and interprets phenomena. In psychological research, working with theories is a basic, essential ingredient, serving as the foundation from which specific hypotheses are derived and tested. Crucially, theories can be supported by evidence but can never be definitively proved, and disconfirming a single hypothesis does not necessarily mean that the broader theory has been disproved.

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Updated 2026-05-03

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