Features Of A Science

Question 1

Empiricism

Answer 1

Philiosphophical position that factual knowledge can only come from our experience with the world

Question 2

The empirical method is … and give examples

Answer 2

the process of collecting data from direct experience
Data gathered from observation, self report, experimentation and content analysis

Question 3

Objectivity

Answer 3

Collect and interpret data in ways that avoid bias, no opinions
If something is affected by bias it produces subjective conclusions

Question 4

Ways of Improving objectivity

Answer 4

• Systematic data collection (data gathering is carefully planned out and consistent for each ppt)
• double blind (researchers who dont know the aims collect the data)
• peer review (knowing their work will be checked means they will ensure they’ve used objective methods and haven’t been biased in reaching conclusions

Question 5

Control

Answer 5

Control experiment to eliminate extraneous variables
Without this its not possible to demonstrate a cause and effect relationship

Question 6

Replicability

Answer 6

• Scientists must carefully record their methods and produce standardised procedures other scientists can repeat their experiments
• if someone replicates and finds the same results it increases confidence of the validity of the experiment and what it intended to test

Question 7

Falsifiability

Answer 7

Karl popper - theory must be open to empirical testing, so theory can be demonstrated to not be true

Question 8

Paradigm shift

Answer 8

Thomas khun says scientific fields dev in a series of scientific revolutions (paradigm shifts)
- paradigms are sets of assumptions, when there is sufficient evidence to support a new paradigm the old one is no longer supported and can move to new paradigm ( paradigm shift)

Question 9

The more hypothesis testing a theory can withstand ….

Answer 9

Greater confidence the should be in the validity of the theory

Question 9

Top Down method of scientific theory construction

Answer 9

• start with an established theory and dev hypothesis to test one of its assumptions to either credit or discredit

Question 10

Stages of scientific theory construction (bottom up)

Answer 10

1) -observation- obs naturalistic beh in the real world
2) -construct a testable hypothesis- allow observed beh to be tested under controlled conditions
3) -conduct an experiment and gain experimental data- controlled conditions, stats test to test for sig, establish a cause and effect relationship
4) -propose a theory that explains the results-