Counseling and Philosophy

Kruger, Arnold

doi:10.1300/j062v06n01_04

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 16 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Thought experiments have effectively created novel insights and advanced theory in numerous scientific fields for decades (e.g., Brown, 2011; Sorensen, 2017). For example, thought experiments have been used to reconceptualize how artificial intelligence can change information systems (Davies, 1989), deconstruct constructivism in philosophy (Kruger, 2002), understand a plausible strategy for determining when modifications are desirable regarding tropical cyclone landfall predictions (Klima & Morgan, 2012), and challenge the conventional profits‐versus‐people tension in economics (Hatherly et al, 2020). Overall, by presenting hypothesized alternate explanations, extending extant theory to include new contexts, and providing counterexamples for prevailing theories, fields such as economics, public and international policy, physics, ethics, and many others have utilized thought experiments to produce novel and useful theoretical insights.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thought experiments: Review and recommendations

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Summary Thought experiments have been used as an effective methodological approach to advance theory in numerous scientific fields. However, they are underutilized in organizational behavior (OB) and adjacent fields. Accordingly, we conducted a comprehensive and multidisciplinary literature review of thought experiments that entailed 174 sources in economics, psychology, marketing, medicine, sociology, finance, and other fields. We used insights from this literature review to define and describe the unique nature of thought experiments and offer a taxonomy of four main types based on a theory's development stage (i.e., early vs. late) and a study's theoretical goal (i.e., confirmation vs. disconfirmation). We also provide a decision‐making tree useful for evaluating whether conducting a thought experiment is beneficial for a particular research situation and which of the four types is most likely to produce a meaningful contribution. Then, we offer best‐practice recommendations for conducting thought experiments that address how to plan, execute, report results, and discuss implications. In addition, we demonstrate the potential of thought experiments by using the best‐practice recommendations to design and conduct a thought experiment in the domain of workplace allyship. Finally, we offer suggestions for future substantive research that would benefit from thought experiment methodology (i.e., diversity, equity, and inclusion; leadership; performance; selection and recruitment; teams; and turnover). Overall, our article offers a comprehensive review and recommendations that we hope will be a catalyst for using thought experiments to advance theory in OB and related fields.

show abstract