PSYB57H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Scientific Method, Skeptical Movement, Pseudoscience
Document Summary
Scientific research provides us with the best means of addressing questions and providing answers. Political leaders take political positions and propose legislation based on research findings. Developing and assessing effectiveness of programs designed to achieve goals. Instead of using scientific approach, people rely on intuition and authority as ways of knowing. Intuition may be used with anecdotal evidence to draw general conclusions about the world around us. Problem with intuition is that numerous cognitive and motivational biases affect our perceptions, and so we may draw erroneous conclusions about cause and effect: ex. Relationship between adoption and pregnancy a few months later due to lower stress levels. Hold this belief due to illusionary correlation; occurs when we focus on two events that stand out and occur together. Authority- people considered prestigious authority, internet, media, books, government officials, or religious figures are usually readily accepted and considered to be true. Scientists are skeptical to what they see/hear.
