Features of Science

• Objectivity


  Freedom from bias; research should not be affected by the expectations of a researcher
• How psychology may have objectivity


  1. Control of extraneous variables in lab studies

  2. Peer reviewing

  3. Double blind studies

  4. Statistical tests for accuracy and reliability
• How psychology may not have objectivity


  1. Natural/field experiments = lack of control

  2. Studies people⇒people are subjective by nature
• Empirical Method


  Information is gained through direct observation rather than reasoned argument
• Replicability


  Findings must show to be consistent across various contexts and circumstances. If similar results are found, this affirms the truth of the original results. To achieve replicability, procedures must be carefully recorded.
• How psychology is replicable


  1. IV and DV

  2. Operationalised procedure

  3. Some findings can be seen irl e.g. Ainsworth's Strange Situation
• How psychology is not replicable


  People are subjective by nature, so findings from human studies may not always be consistent (e.g. Van Ijzendoorn's cross-cultural study)
• Falsifiability


  The ability to disprove a theory
• How psychology is falsifiable


  Theories can be tested, e.g. interference theory (Godden + Baddeley, 1975)
• How psychology is unfalsifiable


  1. Psychodynamic approach has no clear way of being falsified

  2. Evolutionary psychology is non-falsifiable
• Paradigm


  A shared set of assumptions and methods
• How psychology has a paradigm


  Each approach has a shared set of agreed upon rules
• How psychology does not have a paradigm


  1. Kuhn (1962) - social sciences lack a universally accepted paradigm and therefore should not be classed as sciences

  2. Too many conflicting approaches and disagreements within psychology
• Paradigm Shift


  A change in a shared set of assumptions/methods
• How psychology has paradigm shifts


  1. Approaches generally match their timeline: psychodynamic, behaviourism, cognitive, biological, humanistic

  2. Over time there has been clear paradigm shifts that have affected the methods used by researchers

  3. Medical advancements allowed researchers to study the brain more objectively and directly to provide empirical evidence (e.g. brain scans - PET, fMRI)
• How psychology does not have paradigm shifts

  We still sometimes use the theories from early approaches today, e.g. behaviourism to explain and even treat phobias