Research method lecture 1b test

Question 1

What is the hypothetico-deductive method?

Answer 1

Proposed description of scientific method
Accepts our instinct to interpret the data
Following observations we generate a theory

Question 2

What are the steps in the hypothetic-deductive method?

Answer 2

Observation
Induction of generalisable rules
Development of theory
Deduction of hypothesis to test theory
Research prediction
Modify theory based upon data

Question 3

What is empiricism?

Answer 3

Theory that all knowledge is based upon experience derived from the senses
Francis Bacon championed empiricism
Gathering data through experience
Interpreting patterns found in the data
Framework for undertaking scientific investigation

Question 4

Interpreting findings

Answer 4

Flexible/tentative
Falsification
Parsimony

Question 5

What is tentative?

Answer 5

Testing hypothesis, you should be flexible (if data doesn’t fit theory, amend theory)
Be tentative in describing results - never claim to prove anything

Question 6

What is falsification?

Answer 6

Cant prove if its wrong or right.
Instinctively try and support a hypothesis
Falsifying is more efficient (find evidence against hypothesis)
Science is about eliminating alternative explanations (non-falsifiable theory = not scientific)

Question 7

Jones 1930

Answer 7

Chess and your mum
Touching your chess piece is symbolic of masturbation
Checkmate (capturing the king) is symbolic of castrating/killing your father to access your mother
Angry response = suggestion is true: reaction formation

Question 8

Karl Popper 1959

Answer 8

Scientific investigation should focus on falsifying hypotheses (finding evidence against a theory)

Question 9

What is parsimony?

Answer 9

Conclusions derived from data, should be parsimonious.

Occam’s razor - keeping explanations as simple as possible for observations

Question 10

What is the beer goggles effect?

Answer 10

Conducted by Barry et al.
Rated faces following alcohol or no alcohol
Faces rated more attractive following alcohol but only for opposite sex
Symmetry is important in judging attractiveness
Halsey et al (2010) alcohol impaired ability to detect symmetry in faces

Question 11

Precise

Answer 11

With clearly operationalised variables

Question 12

Falsifiable

Answer 12

Using empiricism within the hypothetico-deductive method

Question 13

Replicable

Answer 13

With tentative and parsimonious conclusions

Question 14

Induction

Answer 14

Inferring general rules from specific instances (reasoning outwards)

Question 15

Deduction

Answer 15

Inferring specific instances from general rules (reasoning inwards)

Question 16

Scientific revolution

Answer 16

Peasants would be told ‘facts’ by religious leaders and/or monarchs, with no means for questions
= control
Scientific revolution provided tools to question these facts = independence of mind

Question 17

Scientia best potential est

Answer 17

Knowledge is power
Social mobility - being able to move between social classes
Monopoly of information
Translates into power

Question 18

What is publication bias?

Answer 18

Publication bias is a type of bias that occurs in published academic research. It occurs when the outcome of an experiment or research study influences the decision whether to publish or otherwise distribute it.

Question 19

What is replication crisis?

Answer 19

The replication crisis (or replicability crisis or reproducibility crisis) is an ongoing (2019) methodological crisis in which it has been found that many scientific studies are difficult or impossible to replicate or reproduce.