Introduction to Nomology

• Science of the Laws of the Mind

Nomos (Law), Logos (Reason / Word)

General Laws of how we Reason

Cathal M. Brugha

• mis.ucd.ie

What do Maps Do?

• They use the surrounding context to give you an idea of the terrain where you are

• Can tell you where you are NOT

• Management Theory and Practice: Thousands of cases and systems provide a rich ground for evidence of nomological laws, how people shape their decisions

Theory: Principles & Axioms

• About decision structures

• Must apply universally and in all fields

• Can learn from all fields

• Decision-making: a multi-faceted diamond

• Psychology, philosophy, management, etc. – all human behaviour

• Leads to a holistic approach

Maslow: Hierarchy of Needs

Try to see if these have some underlying structure

Lower Physical Safety

Middle Love Esteem

Higher Self-Actualisation

Carl Jung: Psychological Types

Imagine the founder noticing differences between things

Intuiting Thinking

Sensing Feeling

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross: Five Stages of Dying

They needn’t be comprehensive to be valid

Denial Anger

Bargaining Depression Acceptance

Systems Development Life-Cycle (SDLC)

Possibly the best known example of a Nomological System

Relates to Information Systems. Could apply to any project, field of study, or culture

Could be helpful for research and writing projects including a student’s dissertation

1. Survey project scope & feasibility

2. Study the

current system

3. Define end-user's

requirements

4. Select a feasible solution from candidate solutions

5. Design the

new system

6. Acquire computer

hardware and software

7. Construct the

new system

8. Deliver the

new system

9. Maintain and Improve system

Systems Development Life-Cycle (SDLC)

Look for the Underlying Natural Decision Structure

Committing Phases

Analysis, what you Want

1. Survey project scope & feasibility

2. Study the

current system

3. Define end-user's

requirements

Design, what you Should or Prefer to do

4. Select a feasible solution from candidate solutions

5. Design the

new system

6. Acquire computer

hardware and software

Implementation, what you Value

7. Construct the

new system

8. Deliver the

new system

9. Maintain and Improve system

Systems Development Life-Cycle (SDLC)

A Second Layer Embedded in the First

Convincing Stages

Committing Phases

Technical Contextual Situational

Analysis, what you Want

1. Survey project scope & feasibility

2. Study the

current system

3. Define end-user's

requirements

Design, what you Should or Prefer to do

4. Select a feasible solution from candidate solutions

5. Design the

new system

6. Acquire computer

hardware and software

Implementation, what you Value

7. Construct the

new system

8. Deliver the

new system

9. Maintain and Improve system

Maslow: Hierarchy of Needs

Does the Underlying Natural Decision Structure apply here?

Lower Physical Safety

Middle Love Esteem

Higher Self-Actualisation

Hierarchy of Needs, Preferences and Values

Committing Phases

Lower: Wants or Needs

Physical Safety

Middle: Likes or Preferences

Love Esteem

Higher: Values Self-Actualisation

Hierarchy of Needs, Preferences and Values

Convincing Stages

Committing Phases

Technical - Self Contextual - Others

Situational - Goals

Lower: Wants or Needs

Physical Safety

Middle: Likes or Preferences

Love Esteem

Higher: Values Self-Actualisation

Hierarchy of Needs, Preferences and Values

What “Safety” issues address our Needs?

Convincing Stages

Generic laws should have generic words

Committing Phases

Technical - Self Contextual - Others

Situational - Goals

What you Want - Needs

Physical Political Economic

What you would like - Preferences

Love Esteem

What are your Values

Self-Actualisation

Hierarchy of Needs, Preferences and Values

Drop down from first to second layer

Convincing Stages

Committing Phases

Technical - Self Contextual - Others

Situational - Goals

What you Want - Needs

Physical Political Economic

What you would like - Preferences

Social Cultural Emotional

What are your Values

Self-Actualisation ? ?

Hierarchy of Needs, Preferences and Values

Maslow was working on the higher levels in later life

Convincing Stages

Committing Phases

Technical - Self Contextual - Others

Situational - Goals

What you Want - Needs

Physical Political Economic

What you would like - Preferences

Social Cultural Emotional

What are your Values

Artistic ? ?

Hierarchy of Needs, Preferences and Values

Convincing Stages

Committing Phases

Technical - Self Contextual - Others

Situational - Goals

What you Want - Needs

Physical Political Economic

What you would like - Preferences

Social Cultural Emotional

What are your Values

Artistic Religious Mystical

Carl Jung: Psychological Types

Intuiting Thinking

Sensing Feeling

Carl Jung: Psychological Types

Empirically a 2 x 2 … so far

Missing Dimension: Memory

Intuiting Thinking

Sensing Feeling

Missing Dimension:

Will

Carl Jung: Psychological Types

Extroverted Convincing Stages

Does the Underlying Natural Decision Structure apply here?

Committing

Phases - Introverted

Technical – Self Contextual –Others

Situational –Goals

Somatic Intuiting Thinking

Psychic Sensing Feeling

Pneumatic

Carl Jung: Psychological Types

Extroverted Convincing Stages

Thinking and Feeling more general than Intuiting and Sensing

Committing

Phases - Introverted

Technical – Self

Contextual –Others

Situational –Goals

Somatic –Thinking Intuiting ? ?

Psychic – Feeling

Sensing

Pneumatic – ?

Carl Jung: Psychological Types

Extroverted Convincing Stages

Moving Extrovertedly beyond Intuiting

Committing

Phases - Introverted

Technical – Involving Self

Contextual –Protecting Others

Situational –Observing Goals

Somatic –Thinking Intuiting Recognising Believing

Psychic – Feeling

Sensing

Pneumatic – ?

?

Carl Jung: Psychological Types

Moving Introvertedly beyond Intuiting

Convincing Stages

Committing

Phases - Introverted

Technical – Involving Self

Contextual – Protecting Others

Situational – Observing Goals

Somatic –Thinking Intuiting Recognising Believing

Psychic – Feeling

Sensing ? ?

Pneumatic – ?

Experiencing

Carl Jung: Psychological Types

Moving Introvertedly from first to second layer

Convincing Stages

And Extrovertedly beyond Sensing

Committing

Phases

Technical – Involving Self

Contextual – Protecting Others

Situational – Observing Goals

Somatic –Thinking Intuiting Recognising Believing

Psychic – Feeling

Sensing Learning Trusting

Pneumatic – ?

Experiencing ? ?

Carl Jung: Psychological Types

Convincing Stages

Moving Extrovertedly beyond Experiencing

Committing

Phases

Technical – Involving Self

Contextual – Protecting Others

Situational – Observing Goals

Somatic –Thinking Intuiting Recognising Believing

Psychic – Feeling

Sensing Learning Trusting

Pneumatic – ?

Experiencing Understanding Realising

Carl Jung: Psychological Types

Moving Introvertedly from Thinking to Feeling to Knowing

Convincing Stages

A word like Thinking and Feeling only more complete

Committing

Phases

Technical – Involving Self

Contextual – Protecting Others

Situational – Observing Goals

Somatic –Thinking Intuiting Recognising Believing

Psychic – Feeling

Sensing Learning Trusting

Pneumatic – Knowing

Experiencing Understanding Realising

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross: Five Stages of Dying

Another well-known system, but in a very different field

Denial Anger

Bargaining Depression Acceptance

Stages of Relating Convincing Stages

Committing

Phases

Technical – Self Contextual –Others

Situational –Goals

Somatic –Thinking Denial Anger?

Psychic – Feeling

Bargaining Depression Acceptance

Pneumatic – Knowing

Seven Deadly Sins

Detour to check out Anger

Convincing Stages

Committing

Phases

Technical – Self Contextual –Others

Situational –Goals

Somatic –Thinking ? Pride Anger

Psychic – Feeling

Covetousness Lust Gluttony

Pneumatic – Knowing

Envy Sloth ?

Nine Resisting Spirits

There were two missing!

Convincing Stages

Committing

Phases

Technical – Self Contextual –Others

Situational –Goals

Somatic –Thinking Complacency Pride Anger

Psychic – Feeling

Covetousness Lust Gluttony

Pneumatic – Knowing

Envy Sloth Ingratitude

Stages of Relating

Back to Kubler-Ross

Convincing Stages

Committing

Phases

Technical – Involving Self

Contextual – Protecting Others

Situational – Observing Goals

Somatic –Thinking ? Denial Upset

Psychic – Feeling

Bargaining Depression Acceptance ?

Pneumatic – Knowing

Stages of Relating

Convincing Stages

Committing

Phases

Technical – Self Contextual –Others

Situational –Goals

Somatic –Thinking Confusion Denial Upset

Psychic – Feeling

Bargaining Depression Inertia

Pneumatic – Knowing

?

Stages of Relating

Convincing Stages

Committing

Phases

Technical – Self Contextual –Others

Situational –Goals

Somatic –Thinking Confusion Denial Upset

Psychic – Feeling

Bargaining Depression Inertia

Pneumatic – Knowing

Jealousy ?

Stages of Relating

Convincing Stages

Committing

Phases

Technical – Self Contextual –Others

Situational –Goals

Somatic –Thinking Confusion Denial Upset

Psychic – Feeling

Bargaining Depression Inertia

Pneumatic – Knowing

Jealousy Compliance ?

Stages of Relating

Convincing Stages

Committing

Phases

Technical – Self Contextual –Others

Situational –Goals

Somatic –Thinking Confusion Denial Upset

Psychic – Feeling

Bargaining Depression Inertia

Pneumatic – Knowing

Jealousy Compliance Enthusiasm

Systems Development Life-Cycle (SDLC)

A deeper look at the Committing levels … if there is time

Committing Phases

Analysis, what you Want

1. Survey project scope & feasibility

2. Study the

current system

3. Define end-user's

requirements

Design, what you Should or Prefer to do

4. Select a feasible solution from candidate solutions

5. Design the

new system

6. Acquire computer

hardware and software

Implementation, what you Value

7. Construct the

new system

8. Deliver the

new system

9. Maintain and Improve system

Systems Development Life-Cycle (SDLC)

Convincing Stages

Committing Phases

Technical - Self Contextual – Others (Stake-Holders)

Situational – Goals (Business)

Thinking - Subjective Analysis, what you Want to Develop

1. Survey project scope & feasibility

2. Study the

current system

3. Define end-user's

requirements

Feeling – Objective Design, what you Should or Prefer to do

4. Select a feasible solution from candidate solutions

5. Design the

new system

6. Acquire computer

hardware and software

Knowing –Adapting your Implementation, what you Value

7. Construct the

new system

8. Deliver the

new system

9. Maintain and Improve system

Systems Development Life-Cycle (SDLC)

Who or what you should relate to in the subjective stage

Convincing Stages

Committing

Phases

Technical - Self Contextual – Others (Stake-Holders)

Situational – Goals (Business)

Thinking - Subjective Analysis, what you Want to Develop

1. Survey project scope & feasibility

Subjective Self

2. Study the

current system

Others

3. Define end-user's

requirements

World

Feeling – Objective Design, what you Should or Prefer to do

4. Select a feasible solution from candidate solutions ?

5. Design the

new system

?

6. Acquire computer

hardware and software

?

Knowing – Adapting your Implementation

7. Construct the

new system

8. Deliver the

new system

9. Maintain and Improve system

Systems Development Life-Cycle (SDLC)

Who or what you should relate to in the objective stage

Convincing Stages

Committing

Phases

Technical - Self Contextual – Others (Stake-Holders)

Situational – Goals (Business)

Thinking - Subjective Analysis, what you Want to Develop

1. Survey project scope & feasibility

Subjective Self

2. Study the

current system

Others

3. Define end-user's

requirements

World

Feeling – Objective Design, what you Should or Prefer to do

4. Select a feasible solution from candidate solutions

Objective Self

5. Design the

new system

Leaders / Mentors

6. Acquire computer

hardware and software

Project

Knowing – Adapting your Implementationto Become ?

7. Construct the

new system

?

8. Deliver the

new system

?

9. Maintain and Improve system

?

Systems Development Life-Cycle (SDLC)

Who or what you should relate to in the implementation stage

Convincing (Evincing) Stages

The last stages use reverse processes

Committing

(Adducing) Phases

Technical - Self Contextual – Others (Stake-Holders)

Situational – Goals (Business)

Thinking - Subjective Analysis, what you Want to Develop

1. Survey project scope & feasibility

Subjective Self

2. Study the

current system

Others

3. Define end-user's

requirements

World

Feeling – Objective Design, what you Should or Prefer to do

4. Select a feasible solution from candidate solutions

Objective Self

5. Design the

new system

Leaders / Mentors

6. Acquire computer

hardware and software

Project

Knowing – Adapting your Implementation: Induced by the result you Value

7. Construct the

new system

Constructor

8. Deliver the

new system

Client

9. Maintain and Improve system

Beneficiary

Systems Development Life-Cycle (SDLC)

In terms of Committing and Convincing Building Blocks

Convincing (Evincing) Stages

Committing

(Adducing) Phases

Technical - Self Contextual – Others (Stake-Holders)

Situational – Goals (Business)

Thinking - Subjective Analysis, what you Want to Develop

1. Survey project scope & feasibility

Subjective Self

Committing

2. Study the

current system

Others

Convincing

3. Define end-user's

requirements

World

Developing

Feeling –Objective Design, what you Should or Prefer to do

4. Select a feasible solution from candidate solutions

Objective Self

?

5. Design the

new system

Leaders / Mentors / Stake-Holders

?

6. Acquire computer

hardware and software

Project ?

Knowing –Adapting your Implementation: Induced by the result you Value

7. Construct the

new system

Constructor

8. Deliver the

new system

Client

9. Maintain and Improve system

Beneficiary

Systems Development Life-Cycle (SDLC)

In terms of Adjusting World and Adjusting Self Building Blocks

Convincing (Evincing) Stages

Committing

(Adducing) Phases

Technical - Self Contextual – Others (Stake-Holders)

Situational – Goals (Business)

Thinking - Subjective Analysis, what you Want to Develop

1. Survey project scope & feasibility

Subjective Self

Committing

2. Study the

current system

Others

Convincing

3. Define end-user's

requirements

World

Developing

Feeling –Objective Design, what you Should or Prefer to do

4. Select a feasible solution from candidate solutions

Objective Self

Adjusting

5. Design the

new system

Leaders / Mentors / Stake-Holders

Adjusting World

6. Acquire computer

hardware and software

Project

Adjusting Self

Knowing –Adapting your Implementation: Induced by the result you Value

7. Construct the

new system

Constructor?

8. Deliver the

new system

Client ?

9. Maintain and Improve system

Beneficiary ?

Systems Development Life-Cycle (SDLC)

Convincing (Evincing) Stages

Committing

(Adducing) Phases

Technical - Self Contextual – Others (Stake-Holders)

Situational – Goals (Business)

Thinking - Subjective Analysis, what you Want to Develop

1. Survey project scope & feasibility

Subjective Self

Committing

2. Study the

current system

Others

Convincing

3. Define end-user's

requirements

World

Developing

Feeling –Objective Design, what you Should or Prefer to do

4. Select a feasible solution from candidate solutions

Objective Self

Adjusting

5. Design the

new system

Leaders / Mentors / Stake-Holders

Adjusting World

6. Acquire computer

hardware and software

Project

Adjusting Self

Knowing –Adapting your Implementation: Induced by the result you Value

7. Construct the

new system

Constructor

Adapting Self

8. Deliver the

new system

Client

Adapting World

9. Maintain and Improve system

Beneficiary

Inducing

Research into Nomology

• Philosophy: Girard, Tappan, Hamilton Too abstract to make practical use of laws

• Psychology: Cronbach & Meehl Used for Construct ValidationPsychological laws too uncertain to ensure reliability and usability of laws in social studies

• Management Practice Abundant direct and indirect evidence of lawsUseful for filling “jigsaws” and cross-linking

Numerous Applications

Links Different Fields of Management Inter-Cultural Trust

Conflict ResolutionStrategy

Multi-Criteria Decision-Making

Cathal M. Brughamis.ucd.ie