Lecture 2 - The Scientific Method Flashcards
What is Science?
Science is the pursuit and application of knowledge and understanding of the natural and social world following a systematic methodology based on evidence
What does Scientific Methodology include?
Objective observation (measurement and data), evidence, experiments and/or observations as benchmarks for testing hypotheses, induction (reasoning to establish general rules), repetition, critical analysis, verification and testing (peer review, exposure to scrutiny)
What are the goals of science?
Description, prediction, control, explanation
What are the features of science?
> Systematic Empiricism (learning based on validated methods of observation)
Empirical Questions (investigating phenomena that can be observed in the real world
Public Knowledge (results mist be shared)
What are the features of pseudoscience?
> Use of vague, exaggerated or untestable claims
Improper collection of evidence
Lack of openness to testing by other experts
Absence of progress
Personalisation of issues
Use of misleading language
What are the goals of psychological science?
Description - what behaviour is happening?
Prediction - when does it happen?
Control - how do we make it more/less likely?
Explanation - why does it happen?
What kind of process is the scientific method?
Ongoing
What is the null hypothesis?
The claim that there is no relationship between two variables - there will be no effect - if a relationship is shown it is an error
What is the alternate hypothesis?
Alternative hypothesis states your research prediction of an effect or relationship - that there Is a relationship between the two variables
What is the role of hypothesis testing in psychological research?
Hypothesis tests are used to assess whether a difference between two samples represents a real difference between the populations from which the samples were taken
