Scientific methods in psychology

1. Scientific methods in psychology Why we have confidence in the principles of contemporary psychology

2. It all starts with: • A problem, • Or a question, or • Maybe just an observation. • That leads to a…..

3. theory • A comprehensive explanation of observable events • It should be: • 1) capable of being proven wrong, • 2) of predicting new observations, and • 3) as simple as possible

4. parsimony • Science prefers theories with simple assumptions • Science is very reluctant to accept theories that contradict firmly established principles • Clever Hans • UFO’s • Limitations

5. esp • Acquiring information without the use of sense organs and without receiving any form of physical energy • Widely accepted, but valid? • Throw away physics?!? • Suspicious “proof” • No one has met Randi’s challenge

6. The process of gathering and evaluating evidence • Universally accepted format • Hypothesis - a testable prediction • Will exposure to violent video cause children to be more aggressive? • Will phonics training help young children read better? • Will watching Sportscenter with your boyfriend lead him to watch the Notebook with you?

7. Process ii • Method – the means through which a hypothesis is tested • Observation • Interviews • Research • Correlations

8. Process iii • Results the need to carefully measure what your method of investigation reveals if the data appears to be meaningful, you turn to …..

9. interpretation • Determining what the results mean • If they fail to support the hypothesis, move on to something else, • If they support it, that suggests that the hypothesis might be valid, but • You must always consider the study’s limitations, and await ….

10. replication • If other researchers follow your method to investigate your hypothesis, will they get the same results? • If they do, the hypothesis has been replicated – confirmed, leading to more confidence in it. • If they don’t, confidence in the hypothesis is diminished.