Features of a Science

• What are the key features of science?

  Objectivity and the empirical method; replicability and falsifiability; theory construction and hypothesis testing; paradigms and paradigm shifts.
• What does objectivity in scientific investigations mean?

  It means keeping a 'critical distance' and not allowing personal opinions or biases to influence data collection.
• What is the opposite of objectivity?

  Subjectivity
• How do objective methods in psychology typically operate?

  They usually involve high control, such as in lab experiments.
• What is the empirical method based on?


  It is based on data collection through direct, sensory experience.
• What must a theory do to be considered scientific?

  A theory must be empirically tested and verified.
• Why is replicability important in science?


  It helps determine the validity of a finding by showing that results can be repeated across different contexts.
• What must a study have to be replicable?

  Rigid procedures and guidelines.
• What is the key criterion of a scientific theory according to Karl Popper?

  Falsifiability.
• What does Popper suggest about scientific principles that have been repeatedly tested?

  They are not necessarily true; they have simply not been proven false yet.
• What is a null hypothesis?

  A hypothesis that states there is no effect or no difference, used as a standard for comparison.
• How does Popper differentiate between good science and pseudoscience?

  Good science involves theories that can be challenged and falsified, while pseudosciences cannot be falsified.
• Why do psychologists avoid using the word 'prove'?

  Because they prefer to use terms like 'supports' or 'suggests' to reflect the nature of scientific inquiry.
• What is a circular argument in the context of the Oedipus complex?

  It occurs when a refutation is dismissed by claiming the individual is in denial, preventing falsification of the theory.
• What is a theory in scientific terms?

  A set of general laws or principles that can explain events or behaviors.
• What is the inductive process in theory construction?

  It involves designing experiments to examine ideas and discovering patterns to develop a theory.
• How can Hall's law be tested?

  By conducting experiments where people are asked leading questions under the influence of wine.
• What role does hypothesis testing play in theory construction?

  It allows for clear and precise predictions based on a theory.
• What is deduction in the context of hypothesis testing?

  It is the process of deriving new hypotheses from an existing theory.
• What does Thomas Kuhn suggest distinguishes scientific disciplines from non-scientific disciplines?

  A shared set of assumptions and methods, known as a paradigm.
• What is an example of a paradigm?

  Examples include evolution, the planets orbiting the sun, and plate tectonics.
• Why does Kuhn consider psychology to be 'pre-science'?

  Because it has too many internal disagreements and conflicting approaches.
• What is a scientific revolution according to Kuhn?


  It occurs when researchers question the accepted paradigm due to too much contradictory evidence.
• What historical example illustrates a paradigm shift?

  The Copernican revolution, where it became accepted that the earth orbits the sun.
• What are the definitions of key terms in science?

  • Objectivity: Keeping a critical distance in research.
  • Empirical Method: Data collection based on direct sensory experience.
  • Replicability: The ability to repeat findings across different contexts.
  • Falsifiability: The capacity for a theory to be proven false.
  • Paradigm: A shared set of assumptions and methods in a scientific field.
  • Paradigm Shift: A significant change in scientific thought due to new evidence.
• What questions should be considered to determine if psychology is a science?

  • Is it objective?
  • Does it use the empirical method?
  • Is it replicable?
  • Is it falsifiable?
  • Does it use theory construction and hypothesis testing?
  • Does it have a paradigm and has it undergone paradigm shifts?