Psychology As A Science Flashcards
Theory construction
Developing an explanation for the causes of behaviour by systematically gathering evidence and then organising this into a coherent account
Hypothesis testing
A key feature of theory construction is that it should produce statements (hypothesis) that can be tested to prove it is correct, or disprove it.
Empiricism
The position that factual knowledge can only come from our experience with the world. Ideas based on anecdotes, speculation or belief are not empirical (not scientific). An empirical method collects data from direct experiences psychological research this is conducting rigorous scientific research.
Paradigms
A set of shared assumptions and agreed methods within a subject discipline.
Paradigm shift: the result of a scientific revolution when there is a significant change in the dominant unifyingtheory within a scientific discipline.
Replicability
The extent to which scientific procedures and findings can be repeated by other researchers.
Objectivity
All sources of personal bias are minimised so as not to distort or influence the research process. Something is objective if it is based on factual, unbiased analysis and is not ‘open to interpretations’.
Falsifiability
The principle that a theory cannot be considered scientific unless it admits the possibility of being proved untrue.
Acronym for the key scientific principles
The prof
Theory construction
Hypothesis testing
Empiricism
Paradigms
Replicability
Objectivity
Falsifiability
Theory construction - inductive reasoning
Make a specific observation
Recognise a pattern that can be generalised
Draw a general conclusion or theory
Theory construction - deductive reasoning
Existing theory
Hypothesis
Experiment/ collect data to confirm or deny (hypothesis testing)
Hypothesis testing
State the hypothesis
Conducting an experiment
Choosing test statistics
Decision making
Drawing conclusion about population
Aim
An aim is where you are trying to anger a question that is very general
Hypothesis
A hypothesis is trying to prove a specific statement that a scientist has predicted
Developing A hypothesis
Researchers have general question which leads to their overall aim. What do we want to find about this research?
Researchers come up with predictions about what they will find as apart of their research. Its part of hypothesis testing you will compare the outcome of a piece of research against your predictions and decide which hypothesis is correct by establishing if your results are significant - therefore, you always write two hypothesis (only one is true)
Null hypothesis (H0)
Predicts no significant effect or relationship between variables.
When testing a hypothesis there are two possible outcomes - your prediction is right or wrong.
Alternate hypothesis (H1)
Predicts a significant difference or relationship between variables. There are two types:
Directional (one-tailed) or non-directional (two-tailed)
If there previous evidence that suggests a possible outcome?
Yes - one-tailed
No - two-tailed
Independent variable, dependant variable, covariables
Manipulated variable (change) (cause)
Measured variable (effect)
Call the variables in a correlation effectively two DVs.
Correlation or experimental
Correlation - relationship
Experimental - effect / difference
Two-tailed alternate hypothesis
There will be a significant relationship / difference between operationalised IV and operationalised DV.
One-tailed alternative hypothesis
Operationalised IV group 1 will have a significant increase/decrease operationalised DV compared to operationalised IV group 2.
Null hypothesis
There will be no significant difference/relationship between operationalised IV and operationalised DV
Paradigm examples
Psychology is an example of a paradigm shift as up until 1900s psychology was not very scientific but on the 21st century it is very scientific due to advances in technology and is mostly facts.
What makes research more replicable
Keeping things the same for all participants (standardised)
Controlled experiment (in a lab)
Training your researchers in how to conduct the research
Researchers use standardised scripts / instructions
Why is replicability important
Being able to repeat research and find the same thing across contexts means it can be trusted and so more generalisable.
Demonstrates measurements are reliable.
How do we keep research objective
Higher levels of controls in research are the more objective methods as well as using carefully designed methods blinded researchers and peer review.
Unfalsifiable
We cannot test it to support the theory (non-scientific)
