Psych220
Science and Psychology
Slides Prepared by Alison L. O’Malley
Passer Chapter 1
1
Door 1
Door 2
Door 3
The Three-Door Problem
Stay or switch?
2
Table 1.1 Feedback Sent to vos Savant Following Her “Switch” Solution to the Three-Door Problem Passer: Research Methods, First Edition © 2014 by Worth Publishers, Macmillan Higher Education
3
Bases for Beliefs
Tenacity
Authority
Reason
Empiricism
Discuss the strengths
and weaknesses of each.
4
Table 1.2 The Use of Reason: A Logical Analysis of All Possible Outcomes
in the Three-Door Problem, When Initially Selecting Door 1 Passer: Research Methods, First Edition © 2014 by Worth Publishers, Macmillan Higher Education
5
Empiricism: The Building Block of Science
Empiricism is essential, but imperfect.
Consider the confirmation bias:
We find what we want to
find and avoid the rest.
Yikes!
6
How many licks does it take to get to the tootsie-roll center of a tootsie pop?
See also www.tootsie.com/gal_licks.php
Do Ghosts exist?
Goals of Science
Description
Explanation
Prediction
Control
How do theory and
hypothesis-testing fit
into each goal?
9
“Let’s Test Our Theory…”
What’s wrong with the statement above?
People often misapply the terms “theory” and “hypothesis.”
Clarify the distinction between these two fundamental elements of science.
Explanation
Since explanation seeks to identify causes, can it be said that explanation is the most important goal of science?
What conditions are
necessary to make
causal inferences?
11
Causal Inferences
Causal inferences are possible when three conditions have been met:
Covariation. As X changes, Y changes.
Temporal order. Change in X occurs before change in Y.
Absence of plausible alternative explanations. Other factors that could have driven the change in Y can be ruled out.
X has a causal effect on Y
Explanation
Draw a causal model depicting the hypothesized distal and proximal causes of ________.
13
?
?
?
Three Questions:
Do men make better drivers than women?
Does personality influence career choice?
Are pet owners happier than non pet owners?
The Scientific Method
Assumes truth is discoverable
Is grounded in systematic empiricism
Addresses testable questions
Strives for accuracy and objectivity
Requires clear definitions and operationism
15
Falsifiability
Can an assertion be disproven?
Operationism
What’s “inside” shouldn’t be a mystery…
Define concepts clearly
and carefully!
Operationism
What’s inside shouldn’t be a mystery…
Generate an operational
definition for
STRESS.
Table 1.3 Identifying Empirical and Nonempirical Questions Passer: Research Methods, First Edition © 2014 by Worth Publishers, Macmillan Higher Education
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Is science the key to everything?
Science also…
Involves public reporting
ideally in refereed journals
Is tentative, not absolute
theories are challenged and refined
Is self-correcting
operational definitions aid in replication
Is but one source of knowledge
restricted to empirical questions
21
Characteristics of Science
Why isn’t it appropriate to describe the scientific method as a single method of conducting research?
Science
Scientific Research: Basic and Applied
An industrial-organizational psychologist examines the relationship between CEO compensation and organizational performance.
Is this basic or applied research? Explain.
23
Value of Research Methods Training
Research methods are only useful if you want to be a researcher, right?
Let’s reconsider…
How could mastery of research methods help this recent graduate?
25
Skepticism
Skepticism is an outlook that entails careful
evaluation of evidence rather than
blind acceptance of claims.
Ask critical thinking questions!
Ask Yourself…
What claim is being made?
What is the source of the claim?
Can I gather info about source credibility?
What supporting evidence is offered?
What is the quality of the evidence?
Are there plausible alternative explanations for the findings?
Are the interpretations of the findings reasonable?
What additional evidence is needed to reach a clearer conclusion?
Given the current state of the evidence, what conclusion is most reasonable?
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