CH. 2 - Hypotheses and Predictions

Description (1/4 Goals of Behavior Science)

Describing what we observed

• EX: running, speed, laughter

Prediction (2/4 Goals of Behavior Science)

When will the behavior occur?

• EX: knowing if two events are linked, what is to be anticipated.

Determine Causation of Behavior (3/4 Goals of Behavior Science)

1. Temporal Precedence

2. Covariation of Cause and Effect

3. Elimination of alternate explanation

Temporal Precedence (1/3 of Determining Causation)

Determines the order of events

• “temporal” means time

• EX: X causes Y

Goals of Behavior Science

1. Description

2. Prediction

3. Determine causation of Behavior

4. Explanation

Covariation of Cause and Effect (2/3 of Determining Causation)

When the cause is present, the effect occurs and when we remove the cause the effect does not occur.

• “covariation” means they are moving together.

• EX: you track your macros you lose weight, you stop tracking your macros you gain weight.

Elimination of Alternate Explanations (3/3 Determining Causation)

Narrowing down what the true cause is, nothing than the causal variable could be responsible for the observed effect.

• EX: couldn’t be a confound, or a third variable; we have tested all the alternatives and we know our cause leads to the effect.

Explanation (4/4 Goals of Behavior Science)

Why the behavior occurred.

• Relate this to different theories/approaches/paradigms of psychology.

• EX: If we were a biological psychologist we would say there’s some underlying neurological function.

Scientific Method

1. Theory

2. Hypothesis

3. Design study

4. Collect data

5. Analyze data

6. Disseminate Results

   • Peer Review; e.g. academic journal's

Theory

Set of principles that:

• organize observations

• predict behaviors or events

• MUST generate hypotheses

• needs to be falsifiable (we can prove them wrong)

• Empirical (can yo observe it)

Hypothesis

• Leads to specific predictions

• based on theories

• inform theories

• are supported NOT proven

Prediction

A guess at the outcome of a study.

• MUST follow directly from the hypothesis

• MUST be testable

• MUST include specific variables and methodologies

Anatomy of a Research (Empirical) Article

1. Abstract

2. Introduction

3. Methods

4. Results

5. Discussion

6. References