Science and Psychology Psych 231 Research Methods in

Science and Psychology Psych 231: Research Methods in Psychology

Blackboard accounts should now work n Office hours are now posted n Dr. Cutting: M 11 -12, W 2 -3 Degarmo 435 D n Kevin Wallpe: Tu 9 -10 Degarmo 12 n JD Hogue: W 9 -10 Degarmo 12 C n Announcements

n n Write down two things that you “know”. Write down HOW you “know” those things. Exercise: How do we know?

Type of knowledge Ways of knowing Our focus Analysis Acceptance Objective Subjective having existence outside of a person’s mind (“real”) existing in a person’s mind Empiricism Experience Observation Scientific Method Rationalism Logical reasoning Deduction Persuasion Authority Tenacity Instruction Faith Regulation (rules & laws) Intuition Methods of Inquiry

The Scientific Method n n n A method used to test and analyze claims about behavior Uses systematic observation and experimentation 4 Cannons of the Scientific method: • Empiricism, Determinism, Parsimony, Testability n A 6 step process (your book breaks it into 7 slightly different steps) Methods of Inquiry

n Step 1: Observation (Empiricism) n Pay attention to the world around you, look for generalizations write down two generalizations that you have observed about people’s behavior n Two classes of generalizations • Descriptive generalizations – just describe how it is/what was seen, how frequent, without making predictions • Cause and effect generalizations – makes predictions about the observed relationship between two (or more) things. • (Determinism: phenomenon have identifiable causes) Scientific Method

n Step 2: Develop a theory or hypothesis n Identify the variables associated with your observations Variables The characteristics of the behavior and the surrounding context n An explanation for the observed behavior(s) • How are the variables related to one another? • May be based on past research, common sense, intuition, logic, etc. Scientific Method

n Step 3: Generate a testable prediction n Testability: Need to specify how your hypothesis can be tested through observation. • The relevant variables must be defined and observable. n Falsification is at the heart of the scientific method • Scientists don’t try to prove a theory, but rather set out to refute (“disprove”) theories • Refutable hypotheses - must be stated in a way that allows the potential for it to be wrong Karl Popper wiki Scientific Method

n Step 4: Make systematic observations n Observational and experimental methods • • • Which variables will we examine? How do we measure these variables? Which variables can we systematically manipulate? What variables need to be controlled? Were (from whom) will we collect the observations? Scientific Method

n Step 5: Evaluate your evidence n n Refutes theory Supports theory (not “proves theory”) Leads to the revision of theory Consider alternative theories • There always alternative explanations • Parsimony: Simple explanations are preferred over more complex ones Scientific Method

n Step 6: Repeat new hypotheses systematic observations predictions hypotheses observations Scientific Method

n Write down the names of three scientists n n What field of science do they belong to? Write down the name of a famous psychologist Dr. Sigmund Freud n Dr. Phil (Mc. Graw) Do they represent the standard psychologist? • NO! n Psychology is a diverse discipline • ISU’s Psych Dept has 6 different groups • APA has 54 different divisions of psychology Psychology as a science

n What is science? What are the goals of science? n Is psychology a science? n n Yes • Studies the full range of human behavior using scientific methods • Applications derived from this knowledge is scientifically based Psychology as a science

n Psychology’s goals are similar to the goals of the physical sciences (e. g. , physics and chemistry) n n Psychologists are concerned with the behavior of people (and animals) rather than the physical world. How is psychology different from the physical sciences? n Human (and animal) behavior is typically much more variable than most physical systems. • Statistical control • Methodological control n Often the thing of interest requires indirect measurement (and thus underlying assumptions) Psychology as a science

Simplest n Description of behavior n n Prediction of behavior n n Complex For the purpose of interventions (e. g. , how do we prevent violence in schools) Causes of behavior n n n Given X what will likely happen Control of behavior n n Describe events, what changes what might affect change, what might be related to what, etc. Sometimes predictions aren’t enough, want to know how the X and the outcome are related Develop specific theories Explanation of behavior n A complete theory of the how’s and why’s 5 Goals of psychology

n n n Developing your research ideas Reviewing the literature Moving from ideas to hypotheses n Chapter 2 Next time