Features of a science Flashcards
(23 cards)
What is a paradigm?
A paradigm is a set of shared assumptions and agreed methods within a discipline.
What philosopher suggested that a paradigm distinguishes scientific disciplines from non-scientific disciplines?
Thomas Kuhn (1962)
What did Kuhn say that pscyh can be best described as?
A pre-science
why did Kuhn call psych a pre-science
Kuhn suggested that unlike natural sciences, psych lacked a universally accepted paradigm and so was best seen as a pre-science
What are 2 examples of paradigms?
The theory of evolution in bio and the standard model of the universe in physics.
Psychology is marked by too much what?
Psych is marked by too many conflicting approaches to qualify as a science
What is a paradigm shift?
A paradigm shift is when there is a significant change in the dominant unifying theory within a scientific discipline.
It is the result of a scientific revolution.
When does a paradigm shift occur?
A paradigm shift occurs when a handful of researchers begin to question the accepted paradigm.
This critique then begins to gather popularity and pace, and eventually a paradigm shift occurs.
What is an example of a paradigm shift?
An example of a paradigm shift is the change from the Newtonian paradigm in physics, towards Einstein’s theory of relativity.
what is a theory?
A theory is a set of general laws or principles that have the ability to explain particular events or behaviours.
what is theory construction?
The process of developing an explanation for the causes of behaviour by systematically gathering evidence and then organising this into a coherent account (theory).
Theory construction occurs through…
through gathering evidence via direct observation.
what is a key feature of a theory? (hypothesis testing)
A key feature of a theory is that it should produce statements (hypotheses) which can then be tested.
why is hypotheses testing important?
it allows theories to be falsified.
what is used to test hypotheses?
a hypothesis can be tested using systematic and objective methods to determine whether it will be supported or refuted.
what is deduction?
the process of deriving new hypotheses from an existing theory.
what is falsifiability?
the principle that a theory cannot be considered scientific unless it admits the possibility of being proved untrue (false).
who argued that the key criterion of a scientific theory is its falsifiability?
Karl Popper (1934)
what did Popper suggest about genuine scientific theories?
Popper suggested that genuine scientific theories should hold themselves up for hypothesis testing and the possibility of being proven false.
what does the theory of falsification state?
the theory states that even when a scientific principle had been successfully and repeatedly tested, it still didn’t mean that the theory was necessarily true. Instead it had simply not been proven false yet.
what did Popper call good sciences?
Theories in which are constantly being challenged and therefore can potentially be falsified.
According to Popper, what theories cannot be falsified?
Pseudosciences.
according to the theory of falsification, which theories are the strongest? why does this happen?
the theories that survive the most attempts to falsify them.
this doesn’t happen because they are necessarily true, but happens because despite the best effort of the researchers, they have not been proven to be false.
this is why an alternative hypothesis must be accompanied by a null hypothesis, and why researchers use suggest over proves.
