In process theory typical patterns of events,
such as variation and selective retention, are
core theoretical constructs (Van de Ven & Poole,
1995). These archetypal stories are used to explain
surface patterns that we observe in our
data. In narrative theory these underlying narrative
structures are stories (Chatman, 1978;
Rimmon-Kenan, 1983) or fabula (Bal, 1985). They
reflect the deep structure of a narrative, and
they are used to explain and interpret the surface
structure, which is the text or the discourse
(Rimmon-Kenan, 1983). Usage of the term construct
has been honed by years of training and
experience with variance-based research (Mohr,
1982), so some readers may find this claim surprising.
Nonetheless, to say that stories are constructs
is not just a play on words. In narrative
theory stories are abstract conceptual models
used in explanations of observed data.