PSYA01H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Scientific Literacy, Falsifiability
Document Summary
Theories: explaining phenomena: theory: explanation for a broad range of observations that also generates new hypotheses and integrates numerous findings into a coherent whole, theories must be falsifiable: evidence challenging the theory, theories are not the same thing as opinions or beliefs, all theories are not equally plausible, a measure of a good theory is not the number of people who believe it to be true, behaviour can occur on a number of different levels including the activity of cells in different parts of the brain, thought processes such as language and memory, and sociocultural processes that shape daily life for millions of people. Critical thinking, curiosity, and a dose of healthy skepticism: critical thinking: involves exercising curiosity and skepticism when evaluating the claims of others and with our own assumptions and beliefs, be curious, examine the nature and source of evidence, examine assumptions and biases, avoid overly emotional thinking, tolerate ambiguity.
