PSY 300 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Islamic Supreme Council Of Iraq, Scientific Method, Empiricism
Document Summary
Psychology is scientific study of behavior and mental processes. We are trying to understand variation, change happens and variability exists. A measurable characteristic of an event, substance, or entity that can change. Ways of knowing vary in adequacy demands. Combine existing information in logical, rule bound ways- rational processes. Inference- a logical conclusion or legitimate implication based on factual information- cannot be directly verified. Facts- reports information that can be directly observed or can be verified or checked for accuracy. Direct observations- one must have experienced or observed. Empiricism rationalism- a way of learning about the world that uses systematic observations and rational processes to create new knowledge. Opinion- expresses an evaluation based on a personal judgement or belief which may or may not be visible. Overall assumptions of science- (physical world exists), the scientific method allows these relations to be discovered, there are relations between events in the world(including casual relations), and those relations are fairly consistent and discoverable.
