Science Flashcards
nature and principles of scientific enquiry through knowledge and understanding concepts (10)
- study of a cause and effect (with IV and DV)
- control and standardization (is the procedure high in controls?)
- quantifiable measurements (quantitative data/measures)
- hypothesis testing
- manipulation of variables
- falsification
- replicability
- objectivity
- induction
- deduction
induction
uses observations to generate testable hypotheses which are then developed into theories
deduction
develops hypotheses from theories and then tests the hypotheses
falsification
it is vital that all hypotheses are testable so evidence can be used to demonstrate whether the hypothesis is true or false
replicability
extent to which the study can be repeated so that the reliability of the results can be judged
standardization
many aspects must be standardized in a procedure like the way the stimuli is presented, the way the data is recorded or the written or spoken instructions
quantitative
quantitative measures make it much easier to standardize the procedure
objectivity
taking an unbiased external perspective that is not affected by an individual or personal viewpoint
deductive
theory —> hypothesis (prediction) —> research
inductive
observation —> hypothesis (tested) —> theory (based on 1 piece of research)
strength of being scientific
adds credibility to psychology’s claim to be a scientific discipline. May enhance the reputation of the subject and lead to more funding for psychology
weakness of being scientific
studying C&E requires controlled conditions which lack ecological validity. Any scientifically obtained results may not generalize to behavior in natural settings
strength of being less scientific
allows for the gathering of subjective data as we can ask for opinions and attitudes. We gain insight into the reasons why behavior may occur
weakness of being less scientific
