Flashcards in TEST #1 (Chapter 1 notes) Deck (20):
1
Understanding the physical world
Science is a tool that was invented in order how to understand how the physical world works. Things that are not controversial. There are things the we can and cannot use in a physical world. We are a part of the physical world. We don't know what will be useful
2
Understanding the psychological
world
Understanding how mind works will not improve psychology. Living in a harmony, helping people, understanding their influence on the environment self acceptance and understanding are important.
3
How Do We Know Something?
• You’ve seen/experienced it.
• Someone else has seen/experienced
it.
4
Evaluating other sources
–Bias
(we want to check how trustworthy it is, is it going to benefit someone? does it support certain political views)
–Authority
• Forms of authority
(Parents, Scientists, Government)
5
Can you trust peer review?
Peer review cannot catch all mistakes.
6
Evaluating ourselves
–Bias
Humans want to be right. Being wrong is scary. All of us are in constant battle for potential biases.
7
The Scientific Method
– Objective and systematic observation. We can't trust people because they might get a profit from the false belief.
Conducted by (oft-biased) humans you need to be critical.
– Critical thinking
helps
8
Systematic
consistent, has a certain way of doing things. Says exactly what to do.
9
Objective
totaly factual
10
“in which a person reasons about
relevant evidence to draw a sound or
good conclusion”
- Bensley (2008, p. 128)
bad definition
11
How Do We Know?
• The Scientific Method
– Objective and systematic observation
– “a commitment to test knowledge
through observation and (if possible)
experimentation.”
– Originally developed to study the
physical world
12
The 3 principles of Science
– Determinism
– Discoverability
–Prediction
13
Determinism
There is a reason for everything.
14
Discoverability
– We can uncover these causes with
some degree of confidence
15
Prediction
We can predict if we know causes.
16
Physical sciences versus
Psychological Science
In psychology, there are different reasons for a phenomenon to occur. Psychological phenomena cannot be directly observed. There is no tool for it. In psychology you don't always predict.
17
• Qualities of a scientist
– Curiosity
• Humility, tolerance for ambiguity/uncertainty
• Nullius in Verba ("on the word of no one" or "Take nobody's word for it")
– Freedom from ideology
• Objective, Sources of Ideology
• Qualities of a scientist
– Transparency and honesty
• Ethics, Public knowledge
• Verifiable, Replicable
18
Science and truth
– Tentative truths
(science is a process of revising our beliefs and confidence, not the only way to know the world).
– No hard conclusions
– Constant revision based on
accumulating evidence
–Pursuit of truth rather than knowing truth
19
What good is science?
– Can’t learn hard truths
– Can’t answer all our questions
– Why bother?
20