ORIGINAL ARTICLE
The right tool for the job: problems and solutions in visualizing sociological theory
Gordon Brett,
Daniel Silver,
Kaspar Beelen,
Corresponding Author
Gordon Brett
Department of Sociology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Correspondence
Gordon Brett, 1Department of Sociology, University of Toronto. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Email: gordon.brett@utoronto.ca
Search for more papers by this authorDaniel Silver
Department of Sociology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Search for more papers by this authorGordon Brett,
Daniel Silver,
Kaspar Beelen,
Corresponding Author
Gordon Brett
Department of Sociology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Correspondence
Gordon Brett, 1Department of Sociology, University of Toronto. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Email: gordon.brett@utoronto.ca
Search for more papers by this authorDaniel Silver
Department of Sociology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
The visualization of social theory is an important part of the development and communication of our theoretical ideas. While most theorists use figures of some kind, few if any have formal training, or guiding rules or principles for the representation of theory. This has often led to poor visualization efforts, and the visual culture of sociology continues to lag behind the natural sciences. The intent of this paper is to serve as a practical and empirically aided guide for social theorists, by providing insights surrounding the cognitive and perceptual properties of certain elements and figures. Through these properties we identify four major problems in theory visualization: vagueness, reduction, unwanted spatial inferences and unwanted metaphorical inferences. We offer solutions to these problems, and to improving theory visualization more generally. Our hope is that this paper will serve as a resource for more thoughtful and informed visualization for practicing social theorists.
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