TOPIC 1 - scientific method

what 3 things do we need for a good study?

rules, tools and theory

what is a hypothesis?

a testable prediction

What were the greek philosphers aristotle and plato interested in?

• nature and origin of knowledge

• memory and thought

what was the greek philosphers Locke and Hume interested in?

Locke - western ideas of society, politics and property

Hume - humans morals and behaviour

What did Wilhelm Wundt want to study?

the contents of the mind

What is structuralism?

taking the mind and breaking it down into components - by doing this can work out how the mind processes things

What 3 things does the scientific method consist of?

assumptions, goals and procedures

what is an example of simple assumption?

there is order to the universe

What is an example on an overiding goal?

to understand behaviour

What are the 4 goals of science?

1. description

2. explanation

3. prediction

4. control

understanding requires what?

obtaining more knowledge

What are the 4 aproaches to understanding?

1. authority approach

2. analogy approach

3. rule approach

4. empirical approach

describe the authority approach?

seeking knowledge from sources thought to be reliable and valid

what are the advantages and cautions of the authority approach?

advantage - allows us to assimilate existing knowledge

caution - dont follow blindly

describe the analogy approach?

analogy between some new event and a more familiar understandable event

Describe the rule approach?

try to establish laws or rules that cover a variety of different observations

what are the advantages and disadvantages of the rule approach?

advantage - can save time and effort

disadvantage - can threaten advancement of understanding.

theories, models and hypotheses are tied to what approach?

the rule approach

describe the empirical approach?

testing ideas agaisnt actual events - observing behaviour and drawing conclusions

What approach tests whether rules are valid in certain circumstances?

empirical approach

What 2 things must a hypothesis be?

1. testable - can devise a test of an hypothesis

2. falsifiable - can show hypothesis is incorrect

do we prove hypothese to be true or false?

flase, never true

what 4 things make up the flow of scientific research?

1. generate hypothesis

2. devise and conduct study

3. analyse results

4. disconfirm or confirm hypothesis

what 4 things does the research method goal consist of?

1. understand

2. design

3. analyse

4. criticise