George Homans looks to a group of younger scholars
for his faith in the history of man the sociologist: "I have
great faith in the generation of sociologists next below my
own, men like Ted Blalock, Jim Coleman, Bob Hamblin,
Arthur Stinchcombe, Harrison White, and Hans Zetterberg,
men who are innoculated against the nonsense about theory
that bemused my generation and who are much better
trained technically" ( Homans 1969). The sociologists men-
tioned all share Homans' concern to state theory formally.
However, they differ from Homans in a way that goes be-
yond simply being "better trained technically." Those cited
by Homans form the nucleus of a large and influential group
of lexical sociologists whose formal approach to sociologi-
cal theory is guided by considerable consensus over the
rules for sociological research. This point of view may be
described as theory constructionism. It shares with Homans
a concern for formal theory, explanation, and axiomatic
approaches. It differs to the extent that its adherents are far
more explicit in their understanding of how such theories
are constructed.

The temptation is strong to label these writings mathe-
matical sociology. But, as shall be seen, this is too narrow.

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