Psychology as a science

• Paradigm- shared set of assumptions scientific methods and terminology.
• falsifiable- the only way of proving a theory correct is to look for disproof.
• objective- when results are not affected by the researcher or by preconceived ideas; opposite to subjectivity.
• credible- when findings are seen to use the scientific method, that have come from well-explained methods of measurement.
• empirical data- those gathered from the senses through seeing, touching, tasting, hearing or smelling.
• hypothesis- a statement set out in such a way that it is testable, what is measured and how it's to be measured are operationalised.
• (social) Milgram used careful controls and aimed for cause-effect conclusion. In terms of reliability, objectivity and credible.
• (social) Field experiments, like sherif et al tend to be less scientific as environment is hard to control.
• (social) social experiments sometimes lack validity which means data is useless. Scientific method.
• (cognitive) case studies of brain damaged patients allow a systematic approach to matching damage to function, elements of science.
• (cognitive) People and animals are complex, holistic view is not likely to lead to a cause and effect conclusion.
• (cognitive) experimental methods often use scientific methodology.
• (learning) lab experiments like bandura that involve many controls.
• (learning) Pavlov, skinner, bandura studied measurable behaviour to draw cause and effect conclusions about behaviours.
• (biological) neurotransmitter functioning uses biological understanding.
• (biological) brain scans take a scientific approach, scan area with idea in mind, measuring, then amending theory.
• (clinical) Rosenhan used field experiments which are harder to control conditions so lack of scientific approach.