Features of Science

Question 1

What is a paradigm?

Answer 1

• Thomas Kuhn (1962)
• A Paradigm is set of shared assumptions & agreed methods within a scientific discipline

Question 2

What did Kuhn suggest about paradigms?

Answer 2

• A set of shared assumptions & agreed methods within a scientific discipline
• Suggested that social sciences (including psychology) lack a universally accepted paradigm & are probably best seen as ‘pre science’ as distinct from natural sciences such as biology or physics
• Psychology is marked by too much internal disagreement & has too many conflicting approaches to qualify as a science & therefore is a pre-science (although this view has been challanged)

Question 3

What is a paradigm shift?

Answer 3

• An important change in the basic concepts & experimental practices of scientific discipline
• It is a change from one way of thinking to another & is also referred to as scientific revolution

Question 4

What is a theory?

Answer 4

• A general set of laws or principles that have the ability to explain particular events or behaviours

Question 5

What is theory construction?

Answer 5

• The process of developing an explanation for the causes of behaviour by systematically gathering evidence & then organising this into a coherent account (theory)

Question 6

What is hypothesis testing?

Answer 6

• A key feature of a theory is that it should only produce statements (hypotheses) which can then be tested
• Only in this way can a theory be falsified

Question 7

What is falsifiability?

Answer 7

• Karl Popper - Argued that the key criterion of a scientific theory is its falsefiability:
  The principle that a theory cannot be considered scientific unless it admits the possibility of being untrue (false)

Question 8

What is replicability?

Answer 8

• The extent to which scientific procedures & findings can be repeated by other researchers
• If a scientific theory is ‘trusted’ (falsefiable) the findings from it must be shown to be repeatable across a number of different contexs & circumstances

Question 9

What is objectivity?

Answer 9

• Where all sources of personal bias are minimised so as not to distort or influence the research process
• Scientists must not allow their personal opinions or biases to influence data they collect or influence the behaviour of the ppts they are studying

Question 10

What is the empirical method?

Answer 10

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