Psychology as a Science

Question 1

What are the eight aspects of scientific study?

Answer 1

• Objectivity
• Falsifiability
• Paradigm
• Empirical
• Causality
• Reductionism
• Controls
• Hypothetico-deductive

Question 2

Aspects of social psychology which could be considered scientific

Answer 2

• Lab experiments (Milgram and Burger)
• Field experiments (Sherif)
• Questionnaires (e.g. Adorno’s F-scale)

Question 3

Aspects of cognitive psychology which could be considered scientific

Answer 3

• Brain scans (used to back up memory models) - REMEMBER: demand characteristics a weakness for this as they reduce objectivity
• Lab experiments (Baddeley, Steyvers and Hemmer)
• Case studies (Clive Wearing, Henry Molaison)
• Memory models (reductionist)

Question 4

Aspects of biological psychology which could be considered scientific

Answer 4

• Brain scans (Raine et al.)
• Lab experiments (Raine et al.)
• Field experiments (Brendengen)
• Observation (of evolution and aggression/psychodynamic theory)

Question 5

Aspects of learning theories which could be considered scientific

Answer 5

• Lab experiments (Bandura, Watson and Rayner)
• Field experiments (Becker)
• Interviews (Becker)
• Observations (Bandura, Watson and Rayner)