Features of a science

Question 1

What is the criteria for a science?

Answer 1

• Constructing theories & testing hypotheses
• Falsifiability
• Replicability
• Objectivity
• Having a paradigm

Question 2

What is a paradigm?

Answer 2

A standard, perspective, or set of ideas.

Question 3

What is a hypothesis?

Answer 3

A precise, testable statement of what the researcher(s) predict will be the outcome of the study.

Question 4

What is a deductive method during theory construction and hypothesis testing?

Answer 4

When a theory is constructed before the hypothesis

Question 5

What is the inductive method during theory construction and hypothesis testing?

Answer 5

When the hypothesis is constructed before the theory.

Question 6

Does psychology use inductive or deductive process?

Answer 6

It uses both so it does largely meet this feature of a science.
However some aspects of psychology has theories but hypotheses are difficult to generate.

Question 7

What is falsifiability?

Answer 7

The principle that a theory cannot be considered scientific unless it admits the possibility of being proved untrue (false).

Question 8

What is replicability?

Answer 8

The extent to which scientific procedures and findings can be repeated by other researchers.

Question 9

What is objectivity?

Answer 9

When all sources of personal bias are minimised so as to distort or influence the research process

Question 10

What is the empirical method?

Answer 10

Scientific approaches that are based on the gathering of evidence through direct observation and experience

Question 11

What is a paradigm shift?

Answer 11

The result of a scientific revolution: a significant change in the dominant unifying theory within a scientific discipline.

Question 12

What is a paradigm?

Answer 12

A set of shared assumptions and agreed method within a scientific discipline.

Question 13

How is objectivity increased in psychology?

Answer 13

• Controlled methods used
• Double blind collection of data
• Operationalised variables
• Standardised procedures and instructions
• Peer review

Question 14

What is double blind collection of data?

Answer 14

When neither the participants nor the experimenters know who receiving a particular treatment.

Question 15

What is operationalised variable?

Answer 15

A variable is operationalised when it is turn into something that can be measured.
eg: memory as measured by the no. of items recalled correctly from a list after 5 minutes.

Question 16

What are controlled methods?

Answer 16

When an independent variable is systematically manipulated, the dependent variable is measured, any extraneous variables are controlled.

The researcher can operationalised the studied variables so they can be objectively measured.

Question 17

What is peer review?

Answer 17

A process that takes place before a study is published to check the quality and validity of the research, and to ensure that the research contributes to its field.