http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3045301312.html
Lay theories, then, are the theories people use in their everyday lives. Lay theories are often captured by proverbs such as the early bird gets the worm” (Protestant work ethic), “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” (entity theory), and “it’s never too late to turn over a new leaf” (incremental theory). Such lay theories often reflect the core beliefs of people living in a given culture or environment.
（9月13日追加）
Some lay theories may serve many cognitive, social, and psychological functions, and other lay theories may serve only one.
Since the 1990s there has been greater recognition that people’s perceptions are filtered through and guided by their lay theories and thus there is not one universal way for people to perceive and respond to the same social information.
Lay theories, then, are the theories people use in their everyday lives. Lay theories are often captured by proverbs such as the early bird gets the worm” (Protestant work ethic), “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” (entity theory), and “it’s never too late to turn over a new leaf” (incremental theory). Such lay theories often reflect the core beliefs of people living in a given culture or environment.
（9月13日追加）
Some lay theories may serve many cognitive, social, and psychological functions, and other lay theories may serve only one.
Since the 1990s there has been greater recognition that people’s perceptions are filtered through and guided by their lay theories and thus there is not one universal way for people to perceive and respond to the same social information.