Features of a science

• A science is an approach which is empirical, objective, replicable and falsifiable
• Features of a science:

  • Theory construction and hypothesis testing
  • falsifiability
  • replicability
  • objectivity
  • paradigms
  • paradigm shifts
• Theory construction and hypothesis testing- a theory is a set of general laws or principles which explain particular events or behaviours
• theory construction and hypothesis testing:

  • happens when evidence is gathered through direct observation
  • it should be possible to make clear and precise predictions based on theories to form a hypothesis
  • scientifically testable
  • if the hypothesis is supported, theory is strengthened, if not it needs revising
  • deriving new hypotheses from existing theories is known as deduction
• Falsifiability- principle that a theory cannot be considered scientific unless it admits the possibility of being proved untrue
• Falsifiability:

  • Popper (1934) suggested scientific theories should hold themselves up for hypothesis testing and the possibility of being proven false
  • Popper argued that no amount of positive validations of a theory proves it true
  • one piece of falsification evidence is enough to render a theory untrue
• Replicability- Scientific procedures and findings can be repeated by others
• Replicability:

  • findings must be repeatable across several different contexts
  • Psychologists must precisely report investigations, helps others verify their work and findings
• Objectivity- all sources of personal bias minimised so they don't distort research process
• Objectivity:

  • personal bias and opinions should be minimised
  • demand characteristics should be minimised
  • cannot be deemed scientific unless it has been empirically tested and verified
• paradigms- shared set of assumptions, methods and terminology about what should be studied and how
• Paradigms:

  • Kuhn (1962) stated that a field can only be deemed a science if a majority of workers believe in a common global theory or perspective and subject matter
  • Major sciences have paradigms (model of the universe in physics)
• Paradigm shifts- accepted paradigm is challenged and the evidence of the existing paradigm is too great to ignore. leads to scientific revolution