PSYCH 100B Chapter 1: Chapter 1
Document Summary
Useful in many fields and occupations eg. public policy decisions. For developing and assessing effectiveness of programs. May draw erroneous conclusions about cause and effect. Illusory correlation: focus on two events that stand out and occur together. Likely to occur when we are highly motivated to believe in the causal relationship: authority, empiricism. Scientific skepticism: ideas must be evaluated on the basis of careful logic and results from scientific investigations. Data are collected form basis of conclusions: the scientific approach. Goodstein (2000) evolved theory of science: Ideas battle with other ideas to move closer to truth. Good scientific ideas are testable can be supported or falsified by data. Ensure that research with major flaws will not become part of scientific literature. Pseudoscience: fake science in which seemingly scientific terms and demonstrations are used to substantiate claims that have no basis in scientific research. Things to look for when evaluating claims: Claims rely on imprecise, biased, or vague language.
