CHAPTER 1 Goals and Methods of Science 2005

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CHAPTER 1 Goals and Methods of Science © 2005, Pearson Education/Prentice Hall

CHAPTER 1 Goals and Methods of Science © 2005, Pearson Education/Prentice Hall

What is Science? • A system that uses past knowledge and conservative procedures for

What is Science? • A system that uses past knowledge and conservative procedures for gaining new knowledge which ultimately advances society. © 2005, Pearson Education/Prentice Hall

Ways of Acquiring Knowledge and Beliefs There are various ways in which we gain

Ways of Acquiring Knowledge and Beliefs There are various ways in which we gain knowledge and beliefs. Let’s discuss 5 of them: • • • Tenacity Authority Intuition Rationalism Empiricism © 2005, Pearson Education/Prentice Hall

Characteristics of Science • Scientific Method – A set of conservative and deliberate procedures.

Characteristics of Science • Scientific Method – A set of conservative and deliberate procedures. – If the scientific method is followed rigorously in a research setting we can be confident in the truth of the research results. – Some key components of the scientific method include: • Rational thinking • Systematic observation © 2005, Pearson Education/Prentice Hall

Characteristics of Science • Science Assumes the Lawfulness of Events – Science assumes that

Characteristics of Science • Science Assumes the Lawfulness of Events – Science assumes that events in the world are lawful and do not occur randomly. – So science believes that if we knew the underlying laws for any event we could predict the event with accuracy. – Discuss the ongoing debate of determinism versus free will. © 2005, Pearson Education/Prentice Hall

Characteristics of Science • Science Asks Empirical Questions – Empirical questions are questions that

Characteristics of Science • Science Asks Empirical Questions – Empirical questions are questions that can be answered through direct or indirect observation. – Answers to empirical questions generate data – Data is factual information, usually in numerical form, that can be used to answer empirical questions and generate new empirical questions. © 2005, Pearson Education/Prentice Hall

Characteristics of Science • Science Applies Controls – Two Features of Control • Conditions

Characteristics of Science • Science Applies Controls – Two Features of Control • Conditions in science are set up so they can be deliberately and systematically manipulated. • Conditions of interest are isolated - to the best of our ability - so they are virtually free of unwanted or extraneous influence. © 2005, Pearson Education/Prentice Hall

Characteristics of Science • Science is Objective – Science is not influenced by personal

Characteristics of Science • Science is Objective – Science is not influenced by personal feelings or expectations. • Why is this difficult to achieve? – A research method for dealing with subjective expectations that might influence data is called a “blind” procedure. • Speculate on the meaning of single-blind and double-blind procedures. © 2005, Pearson Education/Prentice Hall

Characteristics of Science • Science is Self-Correcting – Because new research in science generally

Characteristics of Science • Science is Self-Correcting – Because new research in science generally builds on previous scientific research, errors rarely get propagated. • Replication: Sometimes, when results are controversial, scientists will perform the exact same controversial research to verify the results. If the results are not verified they are corrected. – More often scientist perform variants of the original research to build upon existing knowledge. If the new results don’t support the original results the existing knowledge may be corrected. © 2005, Pearson Education/Prentice Hall

Performing Scientific Research 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Identify Ideas to Test Design Scientific

Performing Scientific Research 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Identify Ideas to Test Design Scientific Test Procedures Observe and Collect Data Analyze and Interpret Data Communicate The Results © 2005, Pearson Education/Prentice Hall

What is Pseudoscience? • Pseudoscience is a system of knowledge and methods that loosely

What is Pseudoscience? • Pseudoscience is a system of knowledge and methods that loosely resembles science and people mistakenly view as science. – Why do people believe in pseudoscience? • Partly because of intuition, tenacity, and authority. • But mostly because people generally don’t think in a scientific manner. © 2005, Pearson Education/Prentice Hall

How to Identify Pseudoscience? • The “Trappings” of Science – Pseudoscience tries to be

How to Identify Pseudoscience? • The “Trappings” of Science – Pseudoscience tries to be like real science. – Pseudoscience makes predictions about phenomenon, but rarely tests them. • Data is Often Based on Testimonials – Data like this can be easily manipulated. • Evasion of Disproof – Explanations given by the pseudoscience to account for data that disprove the pseudoscience are difficult/impossible to test (e. g. , the phenomenon can’t be measure by conventional means) © 2005, Pearson Education/Prentice Hall

Research Goals and Strategies: The Basics • Theories – Networks of plausible, organized, and

Research Goals and Strategies: The Basics • Theories – Networks of plausible, organized, and logical principles and facts that attempt to explain the connections between various events. – Theories have 3 functions: 1. Explain phenomenon 2. Organize exist knowledge 3. Make prediction that can be tested © 2005, Pearson Education/Prentice Hall

Theories • Good Theories 1. Organize concepts well 2. Are parsimonious (simple and easy

Theories • Good Theories 1. Organize concepts well 2. Are parsimonious (simple and easy to comprehend) 3. Make clear and testable predictions (principle of falsifiability) © 2005, Pearson Education/Prentice Hall

Models • Models are like theories but not as complex and organized. Models provide

Models • Models are like theories but not as complex and organized. Models provide descriptions of the relationships between a set of variables within the context of a theory. • Sometimes, in research, a model is an analogy or substitution of a given process. For example, there animal models of depression. © 2005, Pearson Education/Prentice Hall

Hypotheses • A hypothesis is a statement, based on a theory, that makes a

Hypotheses • A hypothesis is a statement, based on a theory, that makes a specific prediction about the outcome of a proposed study. – For example: Participants who receive drug A will have greater pain relief that those who receive a placebo drug. – For example: Females will score higher on a test of intuition than males. © 2005, Pearson Education/Prentice Hall

Goals of Scientific Research • There are 4 main goals of scientific research: 1.

Goals of Scientific Research • There are 4 main goals of scientific research: 1. Description 2. Prediction 3. Understanding 4. Application © 2005, Pearson Education/Prentice Hall

Research Strategies • There are 4 main research strategies used in psychological research and

Research Strategies • There are 4 main research strategies used in psychological research and covered in detail in the remainder of the text: 1. The Experimental Strategy 2. The Quasi-experimental Strategy 3. The Correlation Strategy 4. The Descriptive Strategy © 2005, Pearson Education/Prentice Hall