Lecture 2 - Introduction to the Scientific Method Flashcards
What is psychologoy?
The science of mental life
What does exploring the mental life involve?
Looking at the basis and impact of mental states and the dynamic mental processes
What are the principles of the scientific approach?
- Determinism and Discoverability
- Systematic observation
- Producing public (verifiable) knowledge
- Producing data-based conclusions
- Producing tentative conclusions
- Asking answerable (empirical) questions
- Developing falsifiable explanations (theories)
What is determinism and discoverability?
- All events have causes (‘determinism’)
- These causes can be discovered (‘discoverability’)
What is probabilistic determinism?
events can be predicted, but not with 100% certainty (‘probable, but not definite’)
What is systematic observation?
- Using precise definitions
- Using reliable and valid measuring tools that yield interpretable data
- Using generally accepted research methodologies
- Using a system of logic for drawing conclusions and fitting these into theory
What does it mean to produce public (verifiable) knowledge?
- It should be verifiable by two or more observers
- Terms and procedures defined precisely so that others could repeat the study (‘replicate’)
What does it mean to produce data-based conclusions?
- Making conclusions on the basis of data (not opinions)
- Questioning the data
What does it mean to produce tentative conclusions?
Be a sceptic about current research findings before better accounts become available
What does it mean to ask answerable (empirical) questions?
- Empirical questions can be answered with data
- Does cause -> effect?
What does operationalisation mean?
How is the question perceived?
What is developing falsifiable explanations (theories)?
- Developing hypotheses – predicted research outcomes
- Hypotheses are deduced from theories (working explanations for phenomena)
- Falsifiable theories – ones that (in principle) can be supported or not supported by data
What are the goals of research in psychology?
- Description
- Prediction
- Explanation
- Application
What are the qualities of good research?
- Reliability
- Validity
- Public
- Cumulative
- Parisomy
What is reliability?
Relates to our confidence that a given finding can be reproduced again and again — that it can be replicated — and isn’t just a chance occurrence.
What is validity?
Refers to correct (valid) interpretation of the observed outcomes.
What is public?
- research exposes its rationale, methods and conclusions to others so that these could be verified
- Research becomes public through the peer-review process
What is cumulative?
- Cumulative means that research builds upon existing knowledge or theory.
- It isn’t enough just to collect information in a haphazard or random fashion. Instead, research must develop previous insights.
What is parisomy?
Refers to the idea that explanations of findings (i.e., theories) need to provide the simplest, most economical and efficient explanation of the facts.
What does it mean to develop research from theory?
Science doesn’t progress simply through the random accumulation of independent facts
- Such facts must be integrated in terms of comprehensive, unitary explanations (i.e, theories).
- Theories are (or should be) statements of why, not just what.
What are theories capable of?
- Accounting for multiple facts, i.e., generalising
- Generating predictions about what might happen in novel situations
What is the process of a theory?
Theory -> Develop research hypothesis -> Determine if the study outcome is consistent with the hypothesis -> if it is consistent then the theory is given inductive support -> If the theory is supported, go to the next logical hypothesis to test the theory further -> If research repeatedly fails to support the theory, revisit or abandon
What other ways are the to develop research?
- Observation
- Serendipity
- Everyday problems in need of a solution
- Replication and extension
What is observation?
Observations must be systematic and the same principles must be applied as for all other forms of research method
