- Psychologists used the scientific method because it provides the best way to gain new knowledge about behavior
- Psychologists use the scientific method to observe behaviors as they occur in everyday life and in situations researchers are interested in learning about
- What are the 4 canons of the scientific method?
- Empiricism : knowledge is gained in science by systematically observing the phenomenon being studied
- Determinism : used to examine phenomena that have identifiable cause
- Parsimony : an assumption of science is that simpler explanations are more likely than complex explanations to be correct
- Testability : used to test descriptions and explanations of the world that can be contradicted by observations
- Basic research : designed to answer fundamental questions about behavior; HOW o It advances our understanding of the causes of behavior
- Applied research : designed to gain solutions to everyday problems o These explanations are tested in everyday situations to inform researchers about the best solutions for everyday problems
- External validity : the degree to which the results of a study apply to individuals and realistic behaviors outside the study
- I believe that the best way to study for exams is to reread my notes three times from start to finish, because last semester I did that and I got an A on my psychology exam. I believe this despite the fact that I have tried this method before and have never received an A on a psychology exam. I am failing prey to ____________.
Ans: Confirmation bias
- The scientific method relies on which way of knowing information about the world?
Ans: Observation
- If I am concerned about whether the behavior exhibited in my research study maps on to the everyday behaviors of individuals, I am considering the ___________________ of my study
Ans: External validity