What is Meta-theories?

• A metatheory or meta-theory is a theory whose subject matter is some theory. All fields of research share some meta-theory, regardless whether this is explicit or correct. In a more restricted and specific sense, in mathematics and mathematical logic, metatheory means a mathematical theory about another mathematical theory. Any physical theory is always provisional, in the sense that it is only a hypothesis; you can never prove it. No matter how many times the results of experiments agree with some theory, you can never be sure that the next time the result will not contradict the theory. On the other hand, you can disprove a theory by finding even a single observation that disagrees with the predictions of the theory.      ”
• Meta-theoretical investigations are generally part of philosophy of science. Also a metatheory is an object of concern to the area in which the individual theory is conceived.
• Metatheory, which deals with methods of evaluating theories, has traditionally been the province of philosophers of science, although psychologists implicitly use metatheories whenever they evaluate theories. The original figure below is a taxonomy of metatheories. Click on any approach to knowledge below the figure to learn more about it.
• A metatheory is a set of interlocking rules, principles, or a story (narrative), that both describes and prescribes what is acceptable and unacceptable as theory - the means of conceptual exploration - in a scientific discipline. For example, the prevailing metatheory might prescribe that change of form (transformational change) is, or is not, a legitimate way of understanding developmental change. If the prevailing metatheory accepted the legitimacy of transformational change, then theories of development would include some type of stage concept, because "stage" is the theoretical concept that is used to describe transformational change.
•      A methodology is a set of interlocking rules, principles, or a story, that describes and prescribes the nature of acceptable methods -- the means of observational exploration - in a scientific discipline. For example, the prevailing methodology might prescribe that the assessment of sequences is, or is not, critical to understanding developmental change. If deemed critical to methodology, sequential assessment methods would assume a central place as a tool of empirical inquiry.
•      Metatheory and methodology are closely interrelated and intertwined. Metatheory presents a vision of the nature of the world and the objects of that world (e.g., do you accept a picture of persons as "active agents" "constructing" their known world, or as "recoding devices" that "process" information). Methodology presents a vision of the tools we can use to explore that world.