Chapter 3 contd

universalism

The norm where scientific claims are evaluated according to their merit, independent of the researcher’s credentials.

communality

the norm where scientific knowledge is created by a community and its findings belong to the community.

disinterestedness

the norm where scientists strive to discover the truth and are not swayed by conviction, idealism, politics, and profit

organized skepticism

the norm where scientists question everything including their own theories, widely accepted ideas, and “ancient wisdom”

association claim

a claim that argues that one level of a variable is likely to be associated with a particular level of another variable

correlate

variables that are associated are said to __

correlational study

a study in which the variables are measured and the relationship is tested

statistical validity

the extent to which a study’s statistical conclusions are precise, reasonable, and replicable (how well the numbers support the claim)

point estimate

the value we get from a single study

confidence interval

a range designed to include the true population value a high percentage of the time

covariance

the extent to which two variables are observed to go together.

temporal precedence

when the study’s method ensures that variable A comes first in time before variable B

Internal validity

the study’s method ensures that there are no plausible alternative explanations for the change in variable B; variable A is the only thing that changed