Psychology as a Science

• What is a science?

  A systematic study of behaviour based on observation, experiment and measurement
• What is the acronym needed for debates?

  F - falsification

  R - reductionism, reliability, replicability

  E - empirical methods

  N - nomothetic approach

  C - controls

  H - hypothesis testing
• What is falsification?


  > a scientific theory must be able to be shown to be false by an observation or experiment - Karl Popper

  > a criticism of some branches of psychology (e.g. Freud lacks falsifiability

  e.g. hypothesis that "all swans are white" can be falsified by observing a black swan
• What is reductionism?


  > involves isolating variables before studying them

  > is the belief that human behaviour can be explained by breaking it down into simpler component parts

  > a reductionist approach is considered scientific
• What is replicability?


  > a study should produce the same results if repeated exactly

  > studies with standardised procedures are replicable

  > allows a researcher to check their results
• What is reliability?


  > measure of whether something stays the same

  > psychological investigations are reliable if they are similar each time, using the same design, procedure and measurements

  > standardised procedures = reliable

  > if results have been checked and are consistent, data is reliable

  > links to objective data
• What is empiricism?


  > based on observation and experience

  > involves the use of objective, quantitative observation in a systematically controlled, replicable situation in order to test a theory and gain knowledge - John Locke

  > collecting data first hand - science produces empirical data which can be statistically analysed

  > does not rely on argument
• What is a nomothetic approach?

  > science develops general laws that can be applied to al people to explain behaviour

  > used when studying what we share with others
• What are controls?


  > ensuring only IV affects DV

  > science has a high degree of control over extraneous variables
• What is hypothesis testing?

  > a hypothetico-deductive model refers to the cycle of testing a theory and amending it

  > observe —> formulate hypothesis —> prediction —> test (data collection+ analyse) —> evaluate