Psychology 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Social Desirability Bias, Naturalistic Observation, Operational Definition

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 1000
• Professor: Terry Biggs

Document Summary

How scientific inquiry often proceeds, identify a question of interest, gather information and form hypothesis. Scientists determine whether any studies, theories, and other information that might help answer their question already exists. A hypothesis is a specific prediction about some phenomenon that often takes the form of an if then : test hypothesis by conducting research, analyze data, draw tentative conclusions, and. Report findings: build a body of knowledge. As evidence mounts, scientists may attempt to build theories. A theory is a set of formal statements that explains how and why certain events are related to one another. Theories are broader than hypotheses, and in psychology theories typically specify lawful relations between certain behaviors and their causes. Incorporate existing facts and observations within a single framework: are testable. Good theories generate hypotheses which can be tested: are supported by the findings of new research, conform to the law of parsimony. Source of new ideas and hypotheses: disadvantages: