PSYC 320 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Falsifiability, External Validity, Design Of Experiments
Document Summary
Social sciences resemble the study of physical sciences in the logic of its methods of inquiry. Objects of study play a much more active role in the research process. The place of values in social science research. Social science research often has implications for human welfare. A study of people who were sexually abused as children. Concluded that sexual abuse has a neutral effect on people. Study was not perceived well by society, and it was revoked by congress. This was the wrong reaction, as there simply should have been more studies done on it. Values can ultimately affect what types of social science research is carried out. Methods of social science research seem ordinary and unimpressive. There are deep political differences of opinion about issues that are under investigation/research. All students of social behavior are na ve observers. Through casual observation, we develop hunches about other peoples" behavior. Operational definitions- definitions allow constructs to be measured or manipulated.
