Research methods 16 | Features of science Flashcards
Define the empirical method in psychology.
The process of gaining knowledge through direct observation and experimentation rather than through intuition or reasoning alone.
Explain why objectivity is important in psychological research.
It ensures findings aren’t influenced by researcher bias, increasing validity. Achieved through standardized procedures and double-blind techniques.
Describe what is meant by replicability in science.
The ability to repeat a study using the same methods to verify results, demonstrating they weren’t due to chance.
What is falsifiability according to Popper?
The principle that scientific theories must make predictions that could potentially be proven false through observation.
Give an example of a paradigm shift in psychology.
The shift from behaviorism to cognitive neuroscience in the 1970s as brain imaging technology developed.
How does control increase the scientific status of psychological research?
By eliminating extraneous variables, allowing clear cause-and-effect conclusions to be drawn.
Explain one way psychologists ensure objectivity in their research.
Using double-blind procedures where neither participants nor researchers know the experimental condition.
Why might Freud’s theories be considered unscientific?
Concepts like the id and ego are not falsifiable as they can’t be empirically tested or disproven.
Compare inductive and deductive approaches to theory construction.
Inductive: Observations → Theory (bottom-up). Deductive: Theory → Observations (top-down).
How has cognitive neuroscience improved psychology’s scientific status?
Through use of objective brain imaging techniques (e.g., fMRI) that provide empirical evidence for mental processes.
Explain why replicability is important in psychological research.
It allows verification of findings, ensuring they’re reliable and not due to chance or unique circumstances.
Evaluate psychology’s claim to be a science.
Strengths: Uses empirical methods, controls variables, aims for objectivity. Limitations: Human behavior is complex and less predictable than natural phenomena.
