features of science

Question 1

intro

Answer 1

• Objectivity and Empirical Method
• Replicability and Falsifiability
• Theory construction and hypothesis testing.
• Paradigms and Paradigm Shifts

Question 2

objectivity and empirical method

Answer 2

objectivity-Researchers must not let their personal opinions, judgements or biases interfere with the data.
- Lab studies offer good objectivity
• Other methods less so:
• Natural studies
• Observations

empirical method-Empirical methods refer to the idea that knowledge is gained from direct experiences in an objective, systematic and controlled manner to produce quantitative data. (theories need to be tested)

Question 3

replication and falsifiability

Answer 3

replication-Can I conduct my research again and achieve consistent results?

falsifiability-Falsifiability: Karl Popper argues that the ability to collect supporting evidence for a theory is not enough for that theory to be genuinely scientific. For a theory to be scientific, it needs to be constructed in a way that it can be empirically tested. This means the theory can be tested in a way that demonstrates it is not true.

Claiming “human behaviour is due to the existence of a soul which gives us free will” is not a scientific argument. The soul is an unfalsifiable concept; it’s used to explain, but it is not observable, so it cannot be shown not to exist.
We can criticise several of Freud’s ideas as unfalsifiable such as the ID, EGO and Superego.
They are classified as unscientific because the way Freud explains the concepts means they are not open to observation or empirical experimentation, so they can’t be falsified.

Question 4

theory construction and hypothesis testing

Answer 4

Theory
• Set of principles
• Explain behaviours and events.
• Evidence needs to be collected.
Knowledge cannot be based on beliefs.
-experiment leads to theory leads to predictions(hypothesis)

hypothesis-Objective and measurable
Have the results supported or refuted the hypothesis.

Question 5

paradigm and paradigm shifts

Answer 5

• Paradigm
• A paradigm is a set of shared assumptions and methods within a particular discipline.

• Paradigm Shift
• When a new idea / way of thinking becomes popular and consequently the old ways are challenged.

• Kuhn (1962)
• Shared assumptions set a science aside from a non-science.
• Psychology more of a pre-science because there is too much disagreement at its core. eg all the approaches

Question 6

paradigm shifts

Answer 6

-19th century-psychodynamic approach

-1920s-behaviourist
1960s-cognitive psychology