PSYC 1001 Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Notes
Sam Mohebban Chapter 2 Notes Psychology 1004
What makes Psychological Research Scientific
➢ Precision
o Theory- an organized system of assumptions and principles that purports to
explain certain phenomena and how they are related
o Hypothesis- a statement that attempts to describe or explain a given behavior
▪ Leads to a prediction
o Operational Definitions- specify how the phenomena in question are to be
observed and measured
▪ Anxiety or a threatening situation
➢ Skepticism
o Doubt what everyone else assumed to be true
o Treating conclusions, both new and old, with caution
o Showing why a certain claim in invalid
➢ Reliance on Empirical Evidence
o Scientific hypothesis are judged by whether they fit our prejudices and
preferences
o The itesit of the oviction that a hypothesis is true has no bearing on
hethe it is tue o ot
➢ Willigess to ake Risky Predictios
o A scientist must state an idea in such a way that I can be refuted, or disapproved
by counterevidence
o Principle of Falsifiability- does not mean that the idea will be disapproved, only
that it could be f contrary evidence were to be discovered
▪ A scientist thus must not only predict what will happen, but also what will
not happen
▪ Forces scientists to analyze assumptions and biases in a fair minded
fashion
▪ Violated in everyday life due to the vulnerability of the confirmation bias
o Confirmation Bias- the tendency to look for and accept evidence that supports
our pet theories and assumptions and to ignore or reject evidence that
contradicts our beliefs
➢ Openness
o Scientists must be willing to tell others where they hot their ideas, how they
tested them, and what the results were
▪ DO so clearly and in detail so that other scientists can repeat, or replicate
their studies to verify or challenge the findings
o Replication is an essential part of the scientific process because sometimes what
seems to be a fabulous phenomenon turns out to be only a fluke
o Encourages scientist to ask questions and consider other interpretations.
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Sam Mohebban Chapter 2 Notes Psychology 1004
➢ Peer Review
o Scientists are expected to submit their results to professional journals, which
send the findings to experts in the field for evaluation before deciding whether
to publish them
o Effort to ensure that the work lives up to accepted scientific standards
o Acts as a jury, scrutinizing and sifting evidence, judging its integrity, and
approving some viewpoints.
o “ietifi sste of heks ad alaes
Descriptive Studies: Establishing the Facts
➢ Representative Sample- a group of participants that accurately represents the larger
population that the researcher is interested in
o A sample containing the same proportion of women, men, blacks, white, etc.
o Udegaduate studets ae see as a oeiet saple
➢ Case Study- a detailed description of a particular individual based on careful observation
or formal psychological testing.
o Ma ilude ifoatio aout a peso’s hildhood, deas, fatasies,
experiences, and relationships
o Used by clinicians and sometimes academic researchers
o A study has found that a critical period exists for language development (after
looking at Genie, the girl who was locked in the basement for most of her early
life)
o Illustrate psychological principles in a way that abstract generalizations and
statistics never can while producing a clearer picture of an individual than other
methods.
o Not Always a basis for drawing a concrete conclusion
Observational Studies
➢ Observational Studies- When a researcher records behavior, taking care to avoid
intruding on the people being observed.
o Unlike case studies, observational studies usually involve more than one
participant.
o Usually the first step in a program of research
➢ Naturalistic Observation
o Primary purpose is to find out how peple or animals act in their normal social
environments.
o More useful for describing an idea than explaining it
o “tud o hethe people dik oe alohol he i goups o he aloe
➢ Laboratory Observation
o Observations made in a laboratory setting
o Researchers have more control over the situation
o Sophisticated equipment, determine the number of people who will be
observed, maintain a clear line of vision, etc.
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PSYC 1001 Full Course Notes
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