Theoretische implicaties van een onderzoekstechniek

Samenvatting

A critique of an article by I. Gadourek, 'Verdraagzaamheid als Sociologisch Begrip' (Tolerance as a Sociological Concept), published in Sociologische Gids, 1954, Jan. Gadourek's aim was to attempt quantitative approximations of tolerance in order to obtain deeper insights into the phenomena of attraction and repulsion between groups. Since Gadourek constructs a toleration scale and measures degrees of tolerance, some theoretical assumptions underlying such procedures are examined in terms of 3 pairs of contrasting techniques: (1) different degrees of toleration of various groups vs a generalized degree of toleration; (2) actual toleration vs toleration as a norm; and (3) actual toleration vs toleration as an emotional attitude. Theory and practical research are interdependent in definitions of toleration, and the key issue about Gadourek's tolerationi scale is its validity founded on its representativeness. But such questions can only be solved by a combination of further theoretical and practical research. I. Langnas.