The Scientific Process

• What is the scientific process


  • Ask a question - make an observation and ask why it happened
  • Suggest an answer by forming a theory
  • Make a prediction or hypothesis
  • Carry out a test to provide evidence for hypothesis
• Falsifiability 


  • Popper (1969) suggested that theories are abstract so cannot prove them right with empirical research
  • A theory is scientific if it is falsifiable - if it can be proved wrong
• Paradigms 


  • Set of principles, methods and techniques which define a scientific discipline
  • Kuhn said that for something to be a science it needs to have a paradigm
  • Some believe that science has a paradigm
  • Others argue that psychology might be made up of mini-paradigms and so psychology is in a state of pre science
  • Paradigm shift - change in principles and practices (paradigm of psychology went from behaviourism to cognitive psychology)