PSYO 111 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Empirical Research, Falsifiability, Operational Definition

• School: UBC Okanagan, UBC OK
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYO 111
• Professor: Shirley Hutchinson

Document Summary

There are two questions to be answered when studying psychology: What do people do? (methods of observation): answered by observing and measuring. Why do they do it? (methods of explanation): answered by looking at relationships between things that are measured. Dogmatists: have a tendency to cling to assumptions and are guided by beliefs (e. g. , develop theories about the body"s functions). Empiricists (empeirikos): they believe in acquiring knowledge through observation (empiricism) and experience (e. g. , understand illness by observing sick people). Scientific method: procedure for finding truth using empirical evidence (i. e. , gather evidence and modify ideas to fit evidence): develop theories, derive hypotheses, test hypotheses, use evidence to modify theories. Theory: hypothetical explanation of a natural phenomenon. Parsimony (simplest theory that explains all evidence is the best one). Theories cannot be proved because, even though consistent evidence increases confidence, we can never be 100% certain. Hypothesis: falsifiable prediction made by a theory. Empirical method: set of rules and techniques for observation.