Science & Values Flashcards
Image of Science as an Objective
- Conduct experiments
- Careful, rational observations
- Observations are replicated
- Dispassionate search for the truth
Science in Medicine
Science is the main foundation behind healthcare
*Social factors the knowledge and practices behind science
Values and beliefs in Science
Persons born into a particular social class, gender, ethnicity, view, and life history of experiences help to influence scientist’s values, beliefs, and biases to determine:
- What questions scientists’ ask
- What assumptions they make
- What language they speak
- What they see and fail to see
- How they interpret data
Popular Image (Look at slide show to finish PLEASE)
Not accurate
Craniometry
Measurement of intellect through scientific tests (i.e. French vs. German and Women vs. Men)
Specialization vs. Intergration
Differences between men and women brains (men = specialized brain and women = integrated brain)
*Specialized = valued in society; “men are smarter than women”
Scientific Method
- Random selection of subjects (often does not happen -> clinical sample; problem: people don’t go to doctors due to lack of insurance (wealthy vs. poor), don’t believe in medicalization of a disease, undocumented patients, & more women than men)
- Random assignment of subjects (does not happen ->testing something that has a bad health effect instead of accepting social exposure)
- Control extraneous variables
- Control administration of independent variable
- Double blind
- Placebos
Anecdotal Information
Doctors gathering information on their own patients - stories; don’t get random assignment or selection
Reigning Paradigm
Healthcare providers can use evidence from various sources (scientific design) through anecdotal data; “is that really true?”
Heretical View
Things other than medical science are considered more important
Established View
Medical science crucial in elimination of diease
