Search

The present paper attempts to extend the comparative method of narratives by Peter Abell by incorporating Robert F. Bales idea of interaction process analysis. Thereby, descriptions and analysis of syntax of social life would be elaborated further by retaining the information on who interacts with whom and on the nature of interaction with respect to Bales categories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers Abell's methods for analysis of narratives. I first consider the difference between the question of sequence pattern and the question of sequence generation, examining in paticular Abell's use of rational choice theory. I then consider some minor issues related to the choice of tolerances as foundations for homomorphisms among sequences. Finally, I analyze Abell's use of homomorphisms and propose replacing homomorphic reduction of sequences with Levenshtein metrics defined on elementary operations like those Abell uses. This strategy could allow a more complete and parsimonious categorization than does Abell's present strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sociology requires not only formal descriptions of action sequences and complexes, but also their explanation. Narratives are like kinematic forms that should be derived, or generated, from dynamic theoretical models. This paper explains this idea and illustrates it with examples from exchange theory in sociology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper comments upon the various critical remarks made by other authors about the theory and method of Comparative Narratives. It raises issues of the epistemological status of narratives, theft connection with game theory and rationality and to generative theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the usefulness for theoretical work of the narrative method proposed by Peter Abell. Our assessment proceeds by using the narrative method to perform the two main tasks of theoretical analysis--constructing postulates and deriving predictions. To illustrate, we focus on the theory of distributive justice and the more general theory of comparison processes to which it led. The results of our assessment of the usefulness of Abell's narrative method for theoretical work indicate that the narrative method has far wider applicability than Abell has claimed for it. For example, (i) it is useful for all theoretical work in the sociobehavioral sciences, not only for theoretical work based on game theory, (ii) it is useful for analyzing thought-experiments as well as narrative accounts of actual actions and events, and (iii) the events in the narrative need not be restricted to human actions but can include events not traceable to human agency. We conclude also that Abell's narrative method complements the use of mathematical analysis in theoretical work and that it may be especially valuable for theoretical derivation involving two or more theories jointly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper demonstrates that paths of social determination cannot be drawn on the basis of Abells method and uses an example case to show how they are drawn using theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I will proceed from my reading of Abell's paper to discuss one key issue in the new approach to sociological analysis that Abell calls comparative narratives, that Andrew Abbott (in press) calls narrative positivism, and that 1 (1989) call event structure analysis. Lest I give the impression that I do not like Abell's contribution, I begin by noting that I appreciate his work practically as a fan. I routinely think of abstractions in terms of homomorphisms since reading Abell's earlier works. An abstract narrative must preserve some of the orderings present in the parent (more concrete) narratives in order to be sensible, therefore orderings in the parent narratives constrain the abstraction, and homomorphisms provide an elegant way of dealing with such constraints. Moreover, I think that the relaxed binary operation that Abel has introduced in this article advances the formal description of narratives in a way that corresponds to common sense, at least in some applications. Additionally, Abell's new definition seems to deal with abstract actions of different durations--a befuddling problem of real importance, as Abbott (in press) emphasized. That said, my agenda is to suggest that Abell inappropriately slights semantic analysis in his approach, that so do others who are developing technology in this area-despite the potential consequence of encouraging mindless methodology, and that help in dealing with the problem might be attained by turning to other disciplines that focus on qualitative materials, especially linguistic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The idea of abstracting and/or generalising the structure of a narrative (i.e. a set of weakly connected human actions) using a mapping rule which creates either a tolerance (a symmetric reflexive relationship) or an equivalence on the domain set is explored. The paper is an extension of earlier work by the author. A detailed example of the use of narrative analysis is provided which links the analysis into a game- theoretic context. . . . for each of us is a biography, a story. Each of us is a singular narrative, which is constructed, continually, unconsciously, by, through, and in us--through our perceptions, our feelings, our thoughts, our actions; and not least, our discourse, our spoken narrations. Biologically, physiologically, we are not so different from each other; historically, as narratives--we are each of us unique. To be ourselves we must have ourselves--possess, if needs be re-possess, our life stories. We must recollect ourselves, recollect the inner drama, the narrative of ourselves. A man needs such a narrative . . .. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]