Is Psychology a Science? Flashcards
Empiricism believed that science is based on…
Making generalisations from observations by induction and making predictions from generalisations by deduction.
What is Positivism?
Positivism is an epistemology (theory of knowledge) which describes the standard view of science.
Give 3 points about Positivism.
- There is an existential reality that exists independently of us.
- Knowledge is based on direct sensory experiences that can be observed.
- Knowledge is accumulative.
Newton suggested scientists justify generalisations with a large number of observations in wide range of conditions. What is this called?
The Inductive Method
What did Hume say was a problem of induction?
Hume said that even if initial statements are true that is no guarantee that the conclusion is true
Explain Popper’s Falsificationism…
Popper(1934)- one contrary observation is enough to disconfirm an induction. We only make conditional statements that can be identified as true by falsification(deduction).
A problem with Falsification is theory-dependence of observations, explain this.
Although science assumes that facts and theories are independent, facts are theory-laded. So when disconfirming a theory, it could be a problem of the observations at the time not the theoretical claim.
What is Kuhn’s Paradigm?
A network of statements. If the paradigm encounters anomalies, it shifts and a scientific revolution occurs.
What is a difference between Popper’s and Kuhn’s beliefs?
Popper believed scientists aimed to falsify their theories as they know they are just conjectures. Whereas Kuhn believed scientists believed their core theories and holds them sacred.
