Features of Science Flashcards
What did Thomas Kuhn suggest about sciences?
Thomas suggested that the difference between scientific disciplines and non - scientific disciplines could be distinguished by the shared set of assumptions and methods
What is a paradigm?
A set of shared assumptions and agreed assumptions within a scientific discipline
What is the key term used to describe these shared set of assumptions and methods?
Paradigms
What did Thomas say about social sciences, like psychology? What did Thomas say social sciences are best seen as?
Thomas stated that social sciences (psychology) lack universally accepted paradigm and are best seen as a pre-science
Thomas Kuhn theorised that there were three stages of science. What were these three stages and describe + explain them?
There were three stages of science:
1) Prescience = theories that attempt to explain a phenomenon but generally there is no formally accepted theory/paradigm
2) Normal science = a paradigm has emerged and is generally accepted/dominates the science. Over evidence appears that contradicts this dominant paradigm
3) Revolutionary science = evidence against an existing paradigm continues to grow, paradigm is questioned and division in opinion between scientists is formed. Alternative theories are put forward until eventually a new paradigm is accepted. This process is described as a paradigm shift
What is the definition of the term “prescience”?
A prescience is a stage of science where there are a variety of theories that attempt to explain a phenomenon but generally there is no accepted theory/paradigm
What is the definition of the term “normal science”?
A normal science is a type of science where a paradigm has emerged and is generally accepted and dominates the science. Over a period of time, however evidence can appear that contradicts this dominant paradigm
What is the definition of the term “revolutionary science”?
A revolutionary science is a type of science where evidence against a pre existing paradigm continues to grow, paradigm is questioned and division between scientists is formed. Alternative theories are put forward, until eventually a new paradigm is accepted
What is the outline of the process of a “paradigm shift”?
A paradigm shift occurs when evidence against a pre existing paradigm continues to grow, the paradigm is then questioned and division between scientists begins to form. Alternative theories are put forward, until eventually a new paradigm is accepted
What is a theory?
A collection of principles that explain observations and facts
There are two methods to testing theories. What are the names of the two methods for testing theories?
The inductive method and the deductive method
What is the inductive method?
The inductive method is used when the researcher makes an observation/creates a hypothesis and then tests in a study/draws conclusions and proposes a theory based on the conclusions
According to Karl Popper, what is theory construction based on?
According to Karl Popper. theory construction is based on the idea of falsifiability. A theory can only be scientific when researchers have attempted to prove that it is false. (By this, he means that researcher should attempt to falsify (go against) the null hypothesis)
What is the deductive method?
The deductive method is used when the researcher makes an observation/proposes a theory/creates a hypothesis and tests in a study/draws conclusions and makes necessary adjustments to the theory
What are the five key features of science?
1) Objectivity
2) Empirical method
3) Replicability
4) Control
5) Hypothesis testing
What is the definition of “objectivity” as a feature of science?
Replicability refers to how the research should be able to be repeated; if the outcome is the same then it affirms the truth of the original results
What is the definition of “objectivity” as a feature of science?
Objectivity refers to how the researcher must not allow their personal opinions or biases to affect the data they collect or influence the behaviour of the participants
How can researchers make it more possible to test replicability?
In order to achieve such replication it is important for scientists to record their procedures carefully. This is so someone else can repeat them exactly and verify the original results. Unrepeatable results may imply flaws or a lack of control
What are the implications of unrepeatable results, if found?
Unrepeatable results may imply flaws or a lack of control
What is the definition of “control” as a feature of science?
Control refers to when research is carried out in controlled conditions; facts are acquired through controlled research
What is the definition of “empirical method” as a feature of science?
When an empirical method is used, information is gained through direct observation or experimentation
Why is the empirical method important to use?
The empirical method is important to use because it allows researchers to test the validity of a theory through direct testing
What is the definition of “hypothesis testing” as a feature of science?
Hypothesis testing is for the research to be considered scientific, it must be able to generate testable expectations
Some psychologists think behaviour should be studied using a scientific approach.
What are the two different approaches psychologists use?
The nomothetic approach and the idiographic approach
What is the nomothetic approach?
The nomothetic approach involves scientists making more generalisations about people and looking to find similarities
What is the idiographic approach?
The idiographic approach involves scientists studying people as individual cases, without comparing them to others and making generalisations about them
