Features of Science

• Features of Science:

  > theory construction

  > hypothesis testing

  > empirical methods

  > paradigm

  > replicability

  > objectivity

  > falsification
• Features of Science - Theory Construction:

  > a theory is an explanation for describing a phenomenon which is based on observations about the world

  > theories help us to understand and predict things around us

  > theory construction allows us to make a prediction about behaviour, create a hypothesis and test it empirically - this is used to support the original theory and progress through the scientific cycle of enquiry
• Features of Science - Hypothesis Testing:

  > all hypotheses should be testable and falsifiable

  > a testable hypothesis allows us to refine theories through acceptance or rejection of an experimental or null hypothesis
• Features of Science - Empirical Methods:

  > information is gained through direct observation or experiment, rather than opinion
• Features of Science - Paradigm:

  > paradigm - where scientific disciplines have a shared set of assumptions and methods

  > psychology lacks a universally accepted paradigm - there is a number of different paradigms

  > paradigm shift - when there is a revolutionary change in scientific assumptions, where the old paradigm is replaced with a new one e.g., the move away from behavioural psychology to cognitive
• Features of Science - Replicability:

  > the ability to repeat the research using the same methods/procedures to check for similar findings (procedures must be operationalised to do this)

  > allows us to check that findings are externally valid

  > research is done on a different group of people, which helps to generalise the theory to a wider population and increases confidence in results
• Features of Science - Objectivity:

  > where research is not affected by the expectations of the researcher

  > using factual measurements, measurable data and controlled conditions to reduce subjectivity
• Features of Science - Falsification:

  > the ability to be able to prove a theory wrong

  > this means a testable hypothesis should include an alternative hypothesis and a null hypothesis
• Features of Science AO3:

  :( reductionist viewpoint

  :) practical applications

  :( some approaches cannot be falsified