Intro Scientific Method Flashcards
Discover: Ways of Knowing, Objectives of Science and Scientific Method, Word About Theories, Research Criticism
Data
observations that are then organized and summarized so that the researcher can answer the question behind the study.
Scientific Method
process of making systematic observation in an objective manner so that the results of the research will be meaningful, unambiguous and uncontaminated by biases of either the participants or the researcher.
Psychology
scientific study of behavior
Challenges to Data Collection
not all of the objects of psychological research can be measured directly, and researchers are often challenged to make indirect measurements
non-scientific approaches to knowing
intuition, superstition, authority, rational-inductive argument
superstition
a belief that is not based on known laws of nature or even reason; based on subjective feelings
Subjective
personal feeling, not based on observation
Objective
verifiable experience
Intuition
knowledge that we acquire without the use of reason. can be good for “what job should I take?” “what person should I date?”
Authority
information is learned from the reports of a trustworthy and credible source. However, how and for what purpose that information is gathered is unknown and should be verified.
Rational-Inductive Argument
based on the text of an author’s works and the historical context in which they were written a scholar can draw some conclusions about hat author’s motivations, belies and attitudes. Or we may become familiar with what others have said about a topic and then form our own rational arguments to defend a different idea or thesis. this can be easily biased.
Scientific metion
the method of inquiry used to acquire knowledge in the sciences.
Hypotheses
a prediction about what causes a certain phenomenon to occur.
biases in scientific method
choice of what topic to research, how the results of research are interpreted and vulnerability to subjectivity.
empirical questions
questions that can be answered by making obvservations or conducting experiments
empirical psychology questions
often address, directly or indirectly the underlying causes of events, behaviors and other phenomena
confounds
flaws in the design of a study that allow for competing explanations of the results.
Independent Variable
The one thing the researcher manipulates in a study, everything else stays the same
conditions/levels of the independent variable
different ways in which the independent variable is varied.
experimental group
group of participants that the treatment is being given to
control gorup
group that does not get the treatment
dependent variable
what effect the independent variable has, does the independent variable cause a difference
subject variable/attribute variable
a variable that cannot be changed, such as gender in a study of men vs women, can only be selected for
subject variable to independent variables
a researcher has little or no control over the many factors associated with a subject variable and consequently cannot determine conclusively that a subject variable caused a result to occur,only that they are related. (CAN NOT BE CAUSAL)
“The effect of ____ on _____.”
using the scientific method to identify the effect of the independent variable upon the dependent variable.
Description Research
identify and denote phenomena so that later explanations of these phenomena may be proposed.
Explanations Research
research attempt to offer reasons why a phenomenon occurs.
Predicitons
hypotheses that can be derived and tested
Control as a research objective
ultimate goal of control of outcome based on what has been learned
applied research
research with results that are immediately relevant in a practical setting. (new and effective therapy techniques, teaching styles, etc.)
basic research
may have no immediate practical use; explanation rather than application is the goal. insatiable curiosity, gain knowledge for knowledge’s sake
theory
set of related statements that explains and predicts phenomena
laws
very specific statements that are generally expressed in the form of a mathematical equation involving only a few variables.
Principles
statements that predict a phenomenon with a certain level of probability.
beliefs/assumptions
statements based on personal feelings and subjective knowledge about things that cannot be tested scientifically (Sigmund Freud, id, ego, superego)
Parsimony
two equally accurate explanations for a phenomenon, the explanation based on the simpler assumption is preferable.
precision
good theory is precisely stated,a precise theory is written to avoid ambiguity and misinterpretation
testability
a sound scientific theory is testable and must be the potential in principle of proving the theory wrong.
accuracy
should both fit the known facts and predict new ones.
research criticism
note weather the arguments made are logical, all terms clearly defined, what manner investigation conducted, repeatable, vague or ambiguous, are there alternative explanations?
