Creating theoretic boundaries for the study of human behavior and emerging technologies: A framework for choosing theory

Borrowing theories from other disciplines is common in social science fields. As the study of human behavior and emerging technology progresses, it is important that there is a systematic approach to analyzing theories that cut across all disciplines. The framework to analyze theories in social sciences was developed to help researchers in the field of human behavior and emerging technology to analyze theories for the best fit in their research. The framework analyzes three groups of theory attributes: paradigm, technology/social relationship, and context/environmental factors. In applying the framework to 10 leading theories in emerging technology, the analysis also demonstrated how the framework can help in developing metatheories and develop what Kuhn called invisible colleges across disciplines to advance the field of human behavior and emerging technologies.