PSY210H1 Lecture : chpt 2.doc
Document Summary
From theory to hypothesis: research usually begins with a hypothesis. A prediction drawn from a theory: sometimes research pits a hypothesis taken from one theory against a hypothesis taken from another. Example) a theorist who emphasized the role of maturation in development would predict that adult encouragement will have little effect on the age at which children utter their first words, learn to count. A socialcultural theorist, in contrast would speculate that these skills can be promoted through adult teaching: other research test predictions are drawn from a single theory, other research is not based on any previous theory. Common methods: systematic observation, self reports, clinical/ case studies, ethnographies of the life circumstances of a specific group of children. Systematic observation: observations of the behaviour of children and of adults who are important in their lives, can be made in different ways, naturalistic observation. Going into the field, or natural environment, and recording the behaviour of interest.
