Features of Science (objectivity and empirical method)

Question 1

What does objectivity refer to?

Answer 1

research that is unbiased and not influenced by the person who
designed the study, carried it out, analysed the results or drew the conclusions.

Question 2

What does a high level of objectivity do?

Answer 2

increases other people’s confidence in the results as they can conclude that it would have made no difference who carried out the work; the results would have been the same.

Question 3

How can we make research more objective?

Answer 3

-by limiting the influence of the researchers themselves during data collection
-can be achieved operationalising variables, standardised instructions and blind procedures.

Question 4

What do strategies used to make research more effective objective help do?

Answer 4

-help to ensure findings are the consequence of the variables being investigated and not the result of investigator effects or demand characteristics

Question 5

What does the empirical method involve?

Answer 5

measuring some aspect of behaviour and using the findings to develop existing theories, or introduce new ones.

Question 6

What is evidence gained through (empirical method)?

Answer 6

through empirical methods that carefully record data, such as direct observation or experiments, rather than by reasoned argument or unfounded beliefs.

Question 7

What is are empirical methods crucial in?

Answer 7

the scientific process of deductive reasoning where the data obtained will either support or refute hypotheses derived from a theory.

Question 8

when is psychology scientific?

Answer 8

if theories are testable

Question 9

Why is the issue of whether psychology is a science debated?

Answer 9

because many psychological theories cannot be tested empirically.