The traditional paradigm refers to the assumption held by most methodologists and researchers that causal research must be defined in terms of the causal powers evident in a closed system. The traditional paradigm does not concord, however, with the nature of scientific theories often cited in the methodological and research literature. The unified paradigm is introduced and causal research defined in terms of the causal powers evident in an open system. Notable implications of the unified paradigm are that experimental methods do not provide a better opportunity than modeling methods to conduct a causal analysis and that the nomenclature often used to describe the validity of causal conclusions must be amended. Additional implications of the unified paradigm are discussed and includes a comparison of the traditional paradigm and the unified paradigm when applied to treatment-outcome research.
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