1. The Scientific Method In Psychology

Question 1

Define the term psychology and the birth of the scientific psychology

Answer 1

Psychology literally means the science of the mind. Mind was initially conceived as an independent spirit. Later on it was regarded as a characteristic of the brain with the fuction of controlling behavior. Thus psychology can be defined as a scientific study of behavior.
Scientific psychology was founded by Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) who was the first psychologist.
He asserted that all aspects of nature including the human mind could be studied scientifically.
He conducted over one hundred studies in his Leipzig laboratory. He was the founder of the first school of thought in the history of psychology, structuralism:
-The structure of the mind consists of the elements of consciousness: ideas and sensations
- He established psychology as a recognized experimental science separate from philosophy.

Question 2

The scientific method in psychology

Answer 2

There are three major scientific approaches to research: naturalistic observations, correlational studies, experiments.
There are five stages in experimentation:
1. To identify the problem and to formulate hypothetical cause and effect relations among variables.
2. To design the experiment.
3. To conduct the experiment.
4. To evaluate the hypothesis by examining the data from the study.
5. To communicate the results.
To identify the problem means to get an idea for research this can be done in two ways:
1. By constructing a hypothesis: a hypothesis is an idea, a general statement that a scientists wishes to test through scientific research.
2. By creating a theory: a theory is a set of statements designed to explain a set of phenomena.
To design an experiment involves:
-To decide the type of experiment we want to conduct:
Independent/between groups repeated measures/within groups field experiment.
- To identify the variables to be studied and measured:
Independent variable: the variable which is manipulated
dependent variable: the variable which is measured
- To state the operational definitions:
Validity: how accurately the operational definition represents the variable the value of which has been manipulated or measured.
Control of independent variables: the research manipulates only the value of the independent variable.
The procedure described by the operational definition is said to have high reliability if it gives consistent results under consistent conditions.
Reliability is the result of the care and diligence on the part of the researchers in the planning and execution of their experiments.
There are two methods to cope with the problem posed by experiments in which participants behavior might be affected by the knowledge of the independent variable:
- single -blind experiments
- double -blind experiments.
Correlational studies:
- Are based on the assumption that there are variables, such as participant variables (participants sex, genetic history, income, social class, family environment and personality) which cannot be manipulated by the researcher.
- Matching is a procedure used to reduce the uncertainty inherent in correlational studies
Single case studies:
- do not use groups of participants
- have contributed to our knowledge of neuropsychology.
To evaluate the hypothesis on the basis of the data gathered from the study:
- generalizing from data is based on the assumption that the participants are the same of the larger population.
Evaluation is carried out through:
- Qualitative analysis:
Emerged in the 70s. Focus on the experience, reactions and feelings of individual. Is interested in how people use language. Does not aim at quantifying data, it rather aims at throughly exploring the quality of data. Is biased in so far as the selection, analysis, and interpretation of the material is made by the analyst.
Type of qualitative analysis:
- structured andsemi-structured interviews
- Discourse analysis
- Grounded theory
- Q methodology
Any research involving human participants should ensure proper treatment of the participants:
- informed consent
- deception
- debriefing
- withdrawal
- confidentiality