features of science Flashcards
objectivity
the process of trying to reduce bias to prevent it from influencing a search process
replicability
the ability to replicate a study, if you’re able to find the same results, this would prove the result’s reliability
empirical methods
scientific approaches that come from the gathering of evidence through direct observation and experience
falsifiability
the principle that a theory cannot be considered scientific unless it admits the possibility of it being false, should be able to be disproved
theory construction
creating general laws or principles which provide an explanation for particular events or behaviours
hypothesis testing
making predictions which are clear and precise that are based on a basis of a theory and then testing them empirically
paradigm
when assumptions and methods are agreed and shared between two or more people within a scientific discipline
kuhn 1962
scientific knowledge about the world develops through revolutions. over time paradigms become challenged more and more until suddenly there is a paradigm shift. based on the amount of evidence until the old paradigm cannot be accepted
paradigm shift
this is the result of a scientific revolution, a significant change in the dominant unifying theory within a scientific discipline, there is too much contradictory evidence to ignore
paradigms in 1870s and 1900
in the 1870s, the paradigm in psychology was to make the study of mental processes more objective through the principles of introspection
by 1900 this had shifted to psychoanalysis with Freud focusing on the unconscious mind as determining behaviour using case studies to investigate behaviour
objective
data should not be affected by the expectations of the research, data collection should be systematic and free from bias
controlled
in an experiment we assume that any changes in the DV is due to changes in the IV
