PSY100H1 Chapter Notes -Central Nervous System, Detection Theory, Antisocial Personality Disorder
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PSY100H1 Full Course Notes
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The scientific method reflects a dynamic interaction among three essential elements: theories, hypotheses, and research. A theory is an explanation or a model of how something in the world works. Theory generates a hypothesis, which is a prediction or outcome. Hypothesis should be supported by research and data. Then you need to figure out if this can be supported or discarded. Good research needs to be tested again and again. To explain behaviour, scientists must use objective, systematic procedures to measure it. The four goals of psychological science are to describe (what), predict (when), control (what causes), and explain (why) behaviour and mental activity. The empirical process is based on the use of theories to generate hypotheses that can be tested by collecting objective data through research. Theories in turn must be adjusted and refined as new findings confirm or disconfirm the hypotheses. All main three types of designs descriptive, correlational and experimental require variables.