PS101 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Dependent And Independent Variables, Scientific Progress, Research
Document Summary
Scientists believe that they understand events when they can explain the reasons for the occurring of the event. Hypothesis: a tentative statement about the relationship between two or more variables. Theory: a system of interrelated ideas used to explain a set of observations. Theories permit psychologists to make a leap from the description of behaviour to the understanding of behaviour. Journal: a periodical that publishes technical and scholarly material, usually in a narrowly defined area of inquiry. The scientific approach offers two major advantages: clarity and precision. Requires people to specify exactly what they are talking about when they formulate hypotheses. Research methods: consist of various approaches to the observation measurement, manipulation, and control of variables in empirical studies. Experiment: a research method in which the investigator manipulates a variable under carefully controlled conditions and observes whether any changes occur in a second variable as a result.
