Scientific Foundations Of Psychology Week Two

Nominal Definition Of Concepts

Deals with the concept from a theoretical perspective

Operational Definition Of Concept

Deals with the concepts in measureable terms

Nominal

Use to name, catergorise or classify

• no result is bigger or better than the other result

Ordinal

Used to rank order objects lr individuals

• natural, meaningful way to order possibilities

Interval

Used to rank order and have equal interval or distances between adjacent numbers

• different numerical values make it genuinely meaningful

• Uses additon and subtraction

Ratio

Full quantative, includes rank ordering, equal intervals and has an absolute zero point

• Multiplcation and divison can be used to compare results

Continuous Variables

For any two variables you can think of, it is logically possible to have another value in between

Discrete Variable

A variable that isn't continuous. Sometimes the case that there is nothing in the middle

Internal Consistency Reliability

If a measurement is constructued from lots of different parts that perform similar functions do the individual parts tend to give the same answers

Parallel Forms Reliability

Consistency across theorietically-equivalent measurements. If i use different bathroom scales to measure my weight, will it give the same anser

WEIRD

• Western

• Educated

• Industrialised

• Rich

• Democratic

Paradigm

involves a basic framework of assumptions and principles used by a scientific community, or set of norms, that tell scientists how to think and behave.

Prescience

Before scientific consensus in reached, often disorganised

Normal Science

Immediately follows pre-sceince, meaning paradigm is established and scientific work progresses towards solving problems encountered by paradigm

Model Drift

Certain challenges arise in scientific literature that can't be solved using current paradigm

Model Crisis

Anomalies are sufficiently numerous or serious enough to undermine assumptions of paradigm. Two things can occur: 1) If anomalies are resolved, crisis is over and normal science is returned. 2) If anomalies aren't resolved, scientific revolution occurs resulting in paradigm shift

Model Revolution

Follows crisis, in which it leads to new paradigms being explored that bettwe explain the observations and offer a model that is closer to objective, external reality

Paradigm Change

Occurs after crisis and revolution, leading to a new paradigm being adopted. This new paradigm explains observations and resolves anomalies better than the old paladigm

Operationlization

Define abstract concepts in measureable terms, allowing for empricial observartion

Evidence-Based Definitions Are Important Because

Limits bias and assumptions -> Evidence vs Assumption (may not have experience in question we are asking

- Reduce researcher bias through getting other opinions to make sure we take in lots of perspectives

- improvising definition and accuracy is important to solidify interpretations, conclusions and measurement

- Inclusive practise: Perspective of individual (Not researching on people, but researching with people)