3. Psychological variable

Question 1

What is ‘Traditional’ psychology’s view of science and qualitative research?

Answer 1

Science= measurement and quantification. Must deal with measurable entities only.
Qual research is different from science/not real science

Question 2

What is the Kuhn/Postmodern/social constructionist view of science and qualitative research?

Answer 2

Neglects cognitive/truth aspect to science. Science is a human activity. Justify qual research but agree its different from standard science.

Question 3

How is a Realist view of science different to these?

Answer 3

Cognitive activity aimed at knowledge/truth. (still allows for error as error is human fact).
Self-correcting, logical, empirical testing

Question 4

What is pathological science?

Answer 4

A high order breakdown- refusal to test false hypotheses. Happens in psychometrics. Psychology assumes attributes are quant and don’t test this.

Question 5

Pythagoreanism, Quantitative Imperitive

According to Galileo, what are primary and secondary properties?

Answer 5

Primary: IN object (material/substances are bounded)

Secondary: produced by mind (noisy, sweet etc.)

Question 6

How has psychology redefined measurement and what is S.S, Stevens’ operationalist principle?

Answer 6

Modern psych “makes” the mental quantitative.

principle: measurement is assignment of numerals to objects/events according to rule