PSY 201 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Scientific Method, Naturalistic Observation, Participant Observation
Document Summary
Scientific method research involves the careful collection, analysis, and interpretation of data. Data a collections of measurements gathered during the research process. Procedure begins with the observation of a phenomenon and the question of why that phenomenon occurred. The scientific method is an interaction among research, theories, and hypotheses. Theory an explanation or model of how a phenomenon works. Used to explain prior observations and to make predictions about future events. Hypothesis a specific, testable prediction, narrower than the theory it is based on. The best theories are ones that produce a wide variety of testable hypotheses. Falsifiable it should be possible to test hypotheses that show the theory is wrong. Replication repeating a study to see if the results are similar. Theory refinement more than one theory may apply to a particular aspect of human behavior. Variable something in the world that can vary and that the researcher can manipulate (change), measure (evaluate), or both.
