features of science

• empirical method

  • research should be replicable, if repeated the results would be the same
  • all variables should be operationalised
  • the judgements should be fair and unbiased
  • should be objective(fact based)rather than subjective
  • should use nomothetic approaches producing quantitative data
  • it aims to research is a reductionist, deterministic manner
• theory construction

  • uses direct observation to gather evidence, which researchers may then conduct a study into
• hypothesis testing

  • occurs when objective methods are used to find evidence to support or contradict a theory
  • new hypothesis derived from previous theories= deduction
• falsifiability

  • popper argues that science is unique, scientists do not try to prove themselves right, they instead try to falsify their work first
  • good science should constantly be challenged and have the potential to be falsified
  • psychologists try to avoid using 'this proves' and always include a null hypothesis(which can be accepted if falsified)
• replicability

  • in order to test in science, as suggested by popper, then research needs to be replicable(thus can be falsified)
  • if it is repeated with the same results we can trust the theory as it has reliability
  • if it can be repeated across different contexts then it improves the external validity as researchers can generalise findings
• paradigms


  paradigm=a set of shared ideas/assumptions within a scientific discipline

  paradigm shift= a significant change in these assumptions following scientific revolution

  kuhn suggests paradigms are what seperate scientific disapline from non scientific- psychology has too many disagreements and conflicting approaches so isnt a science(pre-science)