Introduction to the scientific method

Question 1

What are the three reasons for wanting to conduct research in psychology?

Answer 1

• discovery
• verification
• understanding

Question 2

Definition of empirical method?

Answer 2

-procedure of obtaining information through observation

Question 3

Definition of scientific method?

Answer 3

-procedure for acquiring and testing knowledge that was found through the empirical method

Question 4

Definition of causal relationship?

Answer 4

-association where one thing causes another thing to happen between two or more items

Question 5

Definition of circular argument?

Answer 5

-where what’s being explained is the explanation for it

Question 6

Definition of falsification/ refutation?

Answer 6

• being able to reject a theory/explanation because there’s evidence it isn’t true in at least one scenario/event
• proves it isn’t 100%

Question 7

Definition of hypothesis?

Answer 7

-statement about the causal relationship, something you think will happen that you will then investigate to see if it does happen, usually derived from a theory

Question 8

Definition of induction?

Answer 8

-drawing conclusions and creating/ developing theories on the observations made prior

Question 9

Definition of redescription?

Answer 9

-process and outcome of attempts at explaining an observation by restating that finding

Question 10

Definition of reification?

Answer 10

• treating something that’s abstract as the real thing

- treating empirical findings as though they were the clear expression of a psychological process

Question 11

Definition of theory?

Answer 11

-system of explanation used to make sense of, and to integrate into empirical findings