Psychology as a Science

Question 1

What should conclusions be based on?

Answer 1

Evidence which is empirical and objective

Question 2

What is an empirical evidence?

Answer 2

When the information gathered is from experience, observation and experimentation

Question 3

What evidence derives from information gathered from experience, observation and experimentation?

Answer 3

Empirical evidence

Question 4

What is an objective evidence?

Answer 4

When the information gathered is free from bias

Question 5

What evidence derives from information that is free from bias?

Answer 5

Objective evidence

Question 6

What are the 2 main challenges in psychology?

Answer 6

1) Things we are interested in are unobservable

2) May not be possible to examine human behaviour without subjectivity

Question 7

Define pseudoscience

Answer 7

A claim, belief or practice which is presented as scientific, but does not have a valid scientific method, lacks supporting evidence or plausibility and cannot be reliably tested (lack scientific status)

Question 8

In the early 1900s, what was the Psychoanalysis movement heavily based on?

Answer 8

Introspection (single case studies subject to bias and lacked concrete testable ideas)

Question 9

In the 1920s, what was the Behaviourist movement heavily based on?

Answer 9

Only directly observable behaviour

Question 10

In the 1950s, what was the Cognitive movement heavily based on?

Answer 10

Behaviours that do not necessarily need direct observation, being able to make predictions and subject them to empirical verification (predictions can be tested)

Question 11

What is induction?

Answer 11

• The process of testing a theory
• The basis of multiple observations
• Draw general conclusion for the observations

Question 12

What are the 2 steps of induction?

Answer 12

1) Evidence is gathered from multiple observations (actual direct observation of behaviour + results from past experiments)

2) General conclusion is drawn based on the evidence (theories)

Question 13

What is the main problem with induction?

Answer 13

There are no certainty in the theories/general conclusions because if we continue to collect more evidence and find contradictory evidence, our initial theory/general conclusion is not 100% accurate

Question 14

Who introduced falsifiability?

Answer 14

Karl Popper

Question 15

What is falsifiability?

Answer 15

Our theory must have a possible negative answer/outcome because a hypothesis can never be one-sided (must argue positive and negative)

Question 16

For a theory to be scientific, it must be…?

Answer 16

Falsifiable
Testable

Question 17

Is this question scientific?

Are dreams a reflection of our conscious desires and conflicts?

Answer 17

Yes
- Testable
- Has a possible positive and negative outcome (falsifiable)

Question 18

Is this question scientific?

Is counselling more beneficial in the treatment of depression than anti-depressant medication?

Answer 18

Yes
- Testable
- Has a possible positive and negative outcome (falsifiable)

Question 19

Is this question scientific?

Do people recount images of significant life events when they die?

Answer 19

No
- Not testable as you cannot test the deceased
- Has no possible positive and negative outcome (not falsifiable) because it is not testable

Question 20

What answers the problem with induction and falsification?

Answer 20

Bayesianism

Question 21

Define Bayesianism

Answer 21

Beliefs come in degrees; the likelihood of future events happening can be expressed based on past knowledge/evidence (AKA your best guess/prediction)

e.g. It rained for 4 days straight so it can be assumed that it will also rain tomorrow

Question 22

What is the hypothetico-deductive method?

Answer 22

• Known as a scientific method
• It is a cyclic pattern of reasoning and observation used to generate and test proposed hypotheses and/or theories of observations

Question 23

What are the 3 main limitations of science?

Answer 23

1) Science cannot question value (subjective decisions; as answers can be based on culture/upbringing)

2) Science cannot questions morality (cannot ask whether someone thinks a certain controversial moral idea is right or wrong)

3) Science cannot question the supernatural (as it it above science, not testable)

Question 24

What are the 5 main characteristics of a good scientist?

Answer 24

1) Uncertain = Don’t be too confident that you know everything about the human mind/behaviour

2) Sceptical = Acknowledge that theories are supported by evidence but are not proven

3) Open-minded = Accept that any theory may be correct until evidence refutes it

4) Cautious = Never say theories are proven or that conclusions are facts

5) Ethical = Ensure no one is harmed in your experiments and avoid plagiarism

Question 25

Match the items.

a. Only study observable behavior

b. Observation of the inner workings of the brain

c. Based on introspection

d. Can study the mind by making predictions and testing them empirically

1. Psychoanalysis movement
2. Behaviourist movement
3. Cognitive movement
4. Neuroscience

Answer 25

1. C
2. A
3. D
4. B

Question 26

Complete the sentences

1. The principle of (induction/falsifiability/bayesianism) is the process of testing a theory on the basis of multiple observations and then drawing a general conclusion for all future observations.
2. (induction/falsifiability/bayesianism) on the other hand, proposes that we should start out with theories that are able to be disproven.
3. The belief that beliefs come in degrees, and we can express the likelihood of future events on the basis of past knowledge is known as (induction/falsifiability/bayesianism)

Answer 26

1. Induction
2. Falsifiability
3. Bayesianism

Question 27

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a good scientist?

a.	Ethical

b.	Sceptical

c.	Uncertain

d.	Persuasive

Answer 27

D