Psychology and science

Question 1

Psychology and science

Answer 1

There is no agreed definition of what psychology is.
Some see it as the study of behaviour, others as the study of mental processes and more..
However, the vast majority of psychologists agree that psychology is a science.
As a discipline that attempts to describe, understand, predict, control and change behaviour, psychology relies heavily on the scientific method.

Question 2

Objectivity and the empirical method

Answer 2

The emperical method is any procedure for conducting an investigation that relies upon experimentation and systematic observation rather than theoretical speculation.

Empiricism (founded by John Locke) states that the only source of knowledge comes through our senses – e.g. sight, hearing etc.

The scientific approach emphasises the important of empirical evidence.
Evidence is gained through objective observation, experimentation and measurement of behaviour

Objectivity is important here as it means that the evidence is not distorted by prejudice or emotions and is recorded as it actually happened.

Question 3

Replicability

Answer 3

Findings that cannot be repeated with the same or similar result will not be accepted by the scientific community.

Replicability gives confidence that the results are valid and reliable and add to scientific knowledge.

Question 4

Falsifiability

Answer 4

The idea that a theory has only been properly studied when attempts have been made to prove it false.

Karl Popper believes that research should attempt to falsify the null, as we cannot ‘prove’ the hypothesis.
In science no amount of evidence can completely prove that a theory is right but it takes one piece of evidence to prove it wrong.
Thus for Popper, the scientific method is about testing the null, where it is either accepted or rejected in favour of the alternative hypothesis.

Question 5

Theory construction and hypothesis testing

Answer 5

The scientific approach begins with an observation of a problem.
This leads to the development of a hypothesis.
The next step is to design a study and gather evidence to test this hypothesis
As a result, the hypothesis is either accepted or rejected in favour of the null
Further observations are made and hypotheses proposed and tested, and as a result a theory is developed.
If data contradicts the theory it will have to be adjusted and further hypotheses will need to be tested, otherwise, it becomes law.