Psychology as a science

Question 1

What makes psychology a science?

Answer 1

It has to be:
- Objective, so based on scientifically recorded facts
- Replicable, so is carried out in a way that is easy to repeat
- Falsifiable, so is able to be proved false

Question 2

What are the benefits of psychology being a science?

Answer 2

• Quantitative data is often gathered that is easy to analyse
• Scientific research is less vulnerable to researcher bias

Question 3

What are the drawbacks of research being scientific?

Answer 3

• Often conducted in tightly controlled laboratory settings, which can reduce the ecological validity
• Often lacking in qualitative data, therefore explanatory power is reduced