Science
and
Psychology
Passer Chapter 1
Slides Prepared by Alison L. O’Malley
The Three-Door Problem
Door 1
Stay or switch?
Door 2
Door 3
Table 1.1 Feedback Sent to vos Savant Following Her “Switch” So
Passer: Research Methods, First Edition
Bases for Beliefs
•Tenacity
•Authority
•Reason
•Empiricism
Discuss the strengths
and weaknesses of each.
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
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!
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?
“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?
Causal Inferences
X has a causal effect on Y
Causal inferences are possible when three
conditions have been met:
1. Covariation. As X changes, Y changes.
2. Temporal order. Change in X occurs
before change in Y.
3. Absence of plausible alternative
explanations. Other factors that could
have driven the change in Y can be ruled
out.
Explanation
Draw a causal model depicting the
hypothesized distal and proximal causes
of ________.
?
?
?
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
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 None
Passer: Research Methods, First Edition
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
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.
Basic vs Applied Research
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?
Skepticism
Skepticism is an outlook that entails careful
evaluation of evidence rather than
blind acceptance of claims.
Ask critical thinking questions!
Ask Yourself…
1. What claim is being made?
2. What is the source of the claim?
3. Can I gather info about source credibility?
4. What supporting evidence is offered?
5. What is the quality of the evidence?
6. Are there plausible alternative explanations for the
findings?
7. Are the interpretations of the findings reasonable?
8. What additional evidence is needed to reach a clearer
conclusion?
9. Given the current state of the evidence, what
conclusion is most reasonable?