Unification Research Programs: Integrating Two Structural Theories

The synthesis of discrete theories and principles to generate ever more comprehensive and unified general theory is fundamental to theoretical science. This paper, after introducing the authors' conception of what such a process involves, combines two structural theories: Blau's macrosociological, social differentiation theory and Granovetter's strength-of-weak-ties principle. Each was previously formalized within a common biased-net mathematical framework. These two formalizations are integrated within a single approach to the study of social relations. Blau's theory is associated with quantities such as heterogeneity, consolidation, and a bias parameter pertaining to homophily. Granovetter's principle is formalized in terms of another bias parameter pertaining to the likelihood of relational closure in triads. A concluding discussion examines empirical literature on diffusion processes to see if hypotheses implied by the unified theory are supported by evidence.