Psychology As A Science

Question 1

What is science

Answer 1

A systematic approach to creating knowledge

Question 2

Key features of science

Answer 2

• objectivity
• empiricism
• replicability
• falsifiability
• theory construction
  X paradigm shift

Question 3

What is objectivity

Answer 3

Dealing with facts in an unbiased manner

Question 4

What’s empiricism

Answer 4

• empirical methods = use of objective, quantitative observation in a systematically controlled, replicable situation
  One example e.g. an experiment

Question 5

What’s replicability

Answer 5

The extent to which the findings of research can be repeated in different contexts and circumstances

Question 6

What things make replicability high or low

Answer 6

greatest when the research method of a laboratory experiment has been used, and replicability tends to be lowest when the experimenter has failed to manipulate the IV properly, e.g. observations

Question 7

What is falsifiability

Answer 7

The idea that a genuine scientific theory can be tested and can also be proven to be false or incorrect

Question 8

What did Popper argue about falsifiability

Answer 8

falsification cannot be achieved, the theory cannot have derived from a true scientific
discipline, which should instead be regarded as a pseudoscience.
E.g. psychodynamic theory makes psych seem less legit

Question 9

What’s theory construction

Answer 9

Creating a theory via hypothesis testing & retesting

Question 10

Two ways to do theory testing

Answer 10

Deductive reasoning
Inductive reasoning

Question 11

Stages in deductive reasoning

Question 12

Stages in inductive reasoning

Question 13

How is hypothesis testing a key science feature

Answer 13

• this is how theories are developed and modified

A good theory should generate testable predictions (hypotheses), and if research fails to support the hypotheses, then this suggests that the theory needs to be modified in some way.

Question 14

What’s a paradigm

Answer 14

A shared set of assumptions and agreed methods found in scientific disciples

Question 15

What did Kuhn suggest about the presence of paradigms

Answer 15

They’re prescence is what distinguish between scientific and non-scientific disciplines

Question 16

What did Kuhn stage paradigm shift is

Answer 16

when, “The result of a scientific revolution occurs. A significant change in the dominant unifying theory of a scientific discipline occurs and causes a paradigm shift.”

Question 17

Paradigm shift occurs in how many stages

Answer 17

Two

Question 18

Stage 1of paradigm shift

Answer 18

A theory = dominant within a scientific discipline. Some researchers might question it find contradictory research that disagrees with it. Counter evidence accumulates against the main paradigm, critics gain popularity and counter evidence becomes accepted.
The present paradigm might then be overthrown due to the emergence of a new one. This is an example of a paradigm shift.

Question 19

Stage 2 of paradigm shift

Answer 19

An established science makes rapid progress and a scientific revolution occurs due to the paradigm shift

Question 20

Example of paradigm shift in psychology

Answer 20

• 1927 and 1938 the work of Pavlov and Skinner emerged who adopted the behaviourist position that all behaviour was learned from the environment and experiences.
  Shortly thereafter, in the 1960s, the cognitive approach took over in psychology with the development of the electronic computer.