PSYCH101 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Naturalistic Observation, Scientific Method, Operational Definition

• School: University of Waterloo
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYCH101
• Professor: Richard Ennis

Document Summary

The scientific method scientific method self-correcting process for evaluating ideas w/ observation and analysis theory explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviours/events: good theories produce testable predictions hypotheses. Hypothesis testable prediction often implied by a theory: direct research the theories we believe in can bias our observations may see what we expect. We can test hypotheses and refine our theories using descriptive methods, correlation methods, and experimental methods. Description starting point of any science is description; we observe and describe ppl and draw conclusions about why they act as they do. Psychologists do the same through: case studies analyze special individuals, naturalistic observation watching/recording natural behaviour of many individuals, surveys/interviews ask ppl questions. Naturalistic observation observing/recording behaviour in naturally occurring situations w/o trying to manipulate/control situation: does not explain behaviour it describes it, showed that societies and behaviour of animals are far more complex than previously supposed.