Featues Of A Science Flashcards
What are the features of a science
THE FORCE
Thomas Kuhn and paradigms
Hypothesis testing
Empirical method
Falsifiability
Objectivity
Replicability
Controlled
Experimental method
What is Thomas Kuhn and paradigms
A paradigms is a set of shared set of assumptions and methods within a particular discipline.
He suggested that psychology was a pre-science because there was to much disagreement; such as the behavioural approach suggests you are a product of your environment and the biological approach suggests that we a product of genetics
FINIHS
What is hypothesis testing
Science use hypothesis to test theories.
A theory is a set of general laws that have the ability to explain particular behaviours. To conduct a theory we need to collect evidence.
Once the theory is developed it will suggest a number of hypothesis (testable predictable statements), which can be tested to strengthen to weaken the theory.
What is empirical methods
Research evidence of the observation and investigation.
Some examples are:
SLT = bobo doll study
Capacity of STM = digest span technique
What is falseifiability
A psychologist suggested hat if we can prove something wrong, then we can rule them out as explainations and then get to the truth as process of elimination.
Any hypothesis that we cant falsely cant be sceintific.
An example of falseifiability
The dopamine hypothesis is Sz suggested that they had too much of the neurotransmitter dopamine. However this was proved incorrect when participants were given drugs that reduced the levelled of dopamine and they had no effect on the patient.
However, not everything can be falsified in psychology, such as in the psychodynamic approach, we cant access the unconscious mind therefore it cant be assessed to proved false
What is objectivity
Scientific researchers need to maintain objectivity as part of their investigations. All sources of personal bias should be minimised to not influence the research.
Examples of objectivity in psychology
Lab experiments
Controlled observations
Correlations
However there can be some subjective examples in psychology
Unstructured observations
Case studies
Content analysis
Whats replicatability
This is the ability to recreate the study.
The study must be reliable (consistent)
It must be able to be replicated so we know that its true
We can asses reliability by repeating the test multiple times
An example of this is classical conditioning
What are controlled experiment
This is a lab experiment, meaning the IV is manipulated, measuring the DV and the EV are minimised and controlled
Examples of controlled experiments in psychology
Loftus and plamer EWT study
Asch conformity study
Ainsworth’s strange situation
