features of science Flashcards
what is a paradigm?
Philosopher Thomas Kuhn suggested that what distinguishes scientific disciplines from non-scientific is a shared set of assumptions and methods
what is a paradigm shift?
a significant change in these central assumptions within a scientific discipline, resulting from a scientific revolution. Kuhn (1962) suggests that paradigms are what separate scientific disciplines from non-scientific disciplines. Kuhn also believes that paradigm shifts show progress within a science. In respect to this feature, psychology has too much disagreement and conflicting approaches (e.g.is behaviour biological from genes or from conditioning experiences?) so isn’t able to qualify as a science. It is referred to as a pre-science.
what is theory construction?
A theory refers to a set of general principles and laws which can be used to explain specific events or behaviours. Theory construction takes place through gathering evidence from direct observation during investigations. You should be able to make different hypotheses from a theory, then when the hypothesis is supported the theory is strengthened. If it is not then the theory may need to be revised.
what is deduction? and give an example
Deduction refers to the process of deriving new hypotheses from an already existing theory e.g. Baddeley and Hitch modified the Working Memory Model in 2000 as they added the episodic buffer to the model.
what is falsifiability? and give an example
Falsifiability is the principle that states a theory cannot be considered scientific unless it allows itself to be proven untrue. Popper (1934) argues that this is a key criterion for a scientific theory. Popper proposed the theory of falsification which states that successful theories that have been constantly tested and supported simply haven’t been proven false yet. Sciences that can’t be proven wrong are known as ‘pseudosciences’- a good example is Freud’s concepts from the psychodynamic approach like the Oedipus’s Complex.
Why do we accompany the alternative hypothesis with a null hypothesis in investigations, and why do we avoid using the word “proves”?
Theories that withstand more attempts at falsification are considered stronger. This practice underscores the importance of testing hypotheses rigorously. We use the null hypothesis as a baseline for comparison and avoid the term “proves” because results can only support or fail to support a hypothesis, not definitively prove it.
what is the hypotheis-deductive method?
The hypothesis-deductive method refers to the process of formulating hypotheses that can either be proved or disproved by experimentation.
what is replicability?
Replicability refers to the extent to which scientific methods and their results can be repeated by other researchers across other contexts and circumstances. It is used to assess validity and reliability of results from a research study.
what is objectivity?
Objectivity is when all possible biases from the researcher are minimised so that they don’t influence or distort the research process.
what is the empirical method?
The empirical method is when evidence is collected through making direct observations and through direct experiences. A theory is not able to be scientific unless it can be empirically tested and verified using either the empirical experimental or observational method.
