Features of a science

• What are the 5 key features of a science?

  • Empirical methods
  • Objectivity
  • Replicability
  • Theory construction
  • Hypothesis testing
  • Falsifiability
• What is hard science used to describe?

  Natural and physical sciences
• What is soft science used to describe?

  Social sciences and other sciences
• What is empirical testing?

  Information gained through direct observations or experiments
• Why is objectivity important in empirical data?

  To avoid personal opinions affecting the results
• What is a theory in the context of psychology?

  A collection of general principles that explain observations and facts
• What are the two methods scientists can use for theory construction?

  Inductive and deductive methods
• What does replicability in research demonstrate?

  The validity of research through repetition with different participants
• What is a hypothesis?

  A prediction made before an investigation starts
• What did Karl Popper introduce regarding hypothesis testing?

  The theory of falsifiability
• How does falsifiability relate to the theory of swans?

  Observing one black swan disproves the theory that all swans are white
• What is a paradigm according to Thomas Kuhn?

  A unified set of assumptions and methods in science
• What is a paradigm shift?

  A significant change in the dominant unifying theory within a scientific discipline
• Why is psychology considered empirical?

  Because researchers like Zimbardo, Asch, and Milgram collected primary data themselves
• What are the challenges of studying subjective experiences in psychology?

  • Different people apply different meanings to their experiences
  • The unconscious cannot be seen or tested
  • Qualitative data can be difficult to analyze without bias