Major features of Science Flashcards
What does objectivity mean?
Attempts to capture the nature of the study in a means that results in it not depending on a particular subject
Investigators put aside their personal biaises
What threatens objectivity?
Biases - objectivity can only be achieved if people put aside their personal beliefs and biases
What are the problems with subjectivity and biases?
Events can be very subjective - hard to replicate
Subjectivity also allows for biases - researchers may see what they want to see or be influenced by certain factors
How can biases be overcome?
Conduct research
Make predictions in advance
Carry out a lab experiment
Explain the replicability of the procedure?
Study can be easily replicated
Studies should be replicable as it allows others to check their results were not a fluke
Done within a report and it include details of the procedure
Explain the replicability of results?
Study was repeated the results would be the same
Results should be replicable otherwise the first set could be a fluke
Supporting evidence and the empirical claim will be undermined if not replicable
Explain replication and triangulation?
When findings are replicated and the same effect is found it is called triangulation
The difference between replication and triangulation is often hard to distinguish
What is a theory?
An explanation of why things happen and they way they do
We use them to explain scientific situations
Why are theories constructed?
Known phenomenon and we want to explain it
Previous research suggests a certain theory
Sometimes a previous theory is too limited therefore a new one needs to be created
What is a hypothesis?
A testable prediction
What was Popper’s opinion of falsifiability?
We can never be 100% sure that a theory is true but we prove a theory to be false
Science needs to test as many theories as possible to eliminate false theory
What is an Improbable hypotheses?
It is unlikely to be true unless the theory that leads to them is true - Popper believes hypotheses should be improbable
What are empirical methods?
Carrying out research
We observe and measure phenomenon using systematic techniques
