APPLICATION OF THE STRATEGY OF CONCEPT MAPPING TO THEORETICAL VALIDATION (A CASE STUDY OF STUDENTS BEHAVIORAL PRACTICES) (Zastosuvannia stratehii uzhodzhennia kontseptiv u teoretychnii validyzatsii (na prykladi doslidzhennia povedinkovykh praktyk st

The article is seeking to carry out two tasks: formulation of principles of theoretical validation; and description of the strategy of concept mapping as a procedure applicable at the initial stages of theoretical validation. The author singles out such principles of theoretical validation: socio-cultural relevance; concept-based representativeness and significance; operationalization; temporal and socio-spatial orderliness; the complexity and cohesion of qualitative and quantitative approaches. The strategy of such a reconciliation of concepts is the structured process focused on the research conception or theme. It is a framework of producing conceptual map by the group of participants of the discussion. This method allows research participants to think more effectively as a collective subject without losing their individuality. The method is intended to particularize the basic idea of the prospective research and give it in detail. The concept mapping procedure is to be executed in six stages: preparation, statements (propositions) generation, statements (propositions) structuration, presentation of statements (propositions) on a conceptual map, interpretation, and application.