PSYC 100 Chapter Notes -Naturalistic Observation, Dependent And Independent Variables, Scientific Method

• School: Queen's University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 100
• Professor: Meredith Chivers

Document Summary

Recall number of items recalled from a list of words. Recognition number of items recognized (e. g. , multiple choice exam) Motor skills how long it takes to traverse a maze. The scientific method is a method of gaining knowledge that espouses verifiability and objectivity. Empiricism refers to the gaining of knowledge through observable facts and experiences. In empirical methods any fact or experience can be replicated (ex. if you perform and experiment and find a result someone should be able to perform it and find the same result) Verifiability: a result is verifiable if it can be tested and verified by others. Empiricism is the basis of the scientific method: an event like the fall of an apple from an apple tree is an empirical observation that is easily replicated. A result is objective if it is based on observable phenomena, and is uninfluenced by emotions or personal points of view. How psychologists make observations that lead them to hypotheses.