THINKING LIKE A

SCIENTIST

Knowledge via:
Superstition
Subjective feelings
Interpreting random
events
Magical events

Intuition
No conscious
awareness
Previous
observations
Illusory Correlation
Non-existent
relationship

Knowledge via Authority

Parents, Teachers
Historically as well as today
Must be a true authority to be
reliable and valid source of
knowledge

Knowledge via Tenacity

Hearing info numerous times can
lead to strong belief
Advertising Slogans
Is Snapple really made from the best
stuff on earth?

Knowledge via Rationalism

Logical Reasoning
Precisely stated ideas and logical
rules =
Logical and empirical conclusion

Syllogism can be logically sound but

based on empirically false premises
Content of either premise is false
Scientifically useless
Logic only deals with form, NOT content

Muslims in the Middle East support

Islamic terrorist groups.
American-Muslims are from, or have
family from, the Middle East.
American-Muslims support Islamic
Terrorist groups.

Knowledge via Empiricism

Objective observation
Sensory experiences
Aristotle
Collection of facts

RATIONALISM
+ EMPIRICISM
LOGICAL OBSERVATIONS

Knowledge via Science

Collect Data
Test Hypothesis(es)
Predict outcome of study
Relationship between 2 or more
variables

Draw conclusions
Is your hypothesis supported by your
results?

Harrar, V., & Spence, C. (2013). The taste of

cutlery: how the taste of food is affected by the
weight, size, shape, and colour
of the
cutlery
used
Perhaps
fine
cutlery,
Participants
rated
to
eat it. Flavour,
2(1),
1-13.
like
silver,
is commonly
yogurt 15% more
flavorful when eaten
with a silver spoon
compared to a plastic
spoon.

associated with fine

dining and expensive
foods.

Hypothesis vs. Theory

Hypothesis predicts outcome of a
single study
Theory
Developed through numerous research
studies, each with related hypotheses
Generates new hypotheses
support = build confidence in
reliability/validity of theory
Fail to support = Revise or begin
development of new theory

A Theory is not a stagnant collection of facts; it is

always evolving, shaped by new and innovative
research.

Every question that is answered

by the results of one study leads
to a vast number of exciting and
unexpected avenues of
exploration.
Once a theory is born it has the potential to grow and
mature for the expanse of human existenceand maybe
longer

The Scientific Approach &

Psychology:
Critical Thinking

All scientific disciplines adhere the

guidelines of the scientific method
when conducting research
Goal = analyzing and observing the
world around us
Psychologists study human beings
and other animals using the scientific
method

Skepticism:
A trait that is highly regarded in the
scientific community
So, whats the deal with the 50%
divorce rate statistic?
Numerous other confounding
variables & unreliable reporting
methods make calculating an
accurate divorce rate
impossible!

Systematic Empiricism
Observations made in a systematic
manner
Develop or refute theory

Publicly Verifiable
Knowledge
Empirical studies open to public
scrutiny

Observable variables and results

Replication should yield same outcome
Critique methods
Test veracity

Peer-reviewed journals

Empirically Solvable
Problems
Imperative for ALL scientific research
Life after death?

Empirically Solvable
Problems

Principle of Falsifiability

Refutation of research findings

No empirical studies supported the link
between autism and MMR vaccine
Irrefutable theories NOT scientific

Empirically Solvable
Problems
Pseudoscience
Irrefutable
NOT science
Contradictory empirical research always
invalid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_
Z0_n7tGnK0

Basic and Applied Research

Basic
Main purpose = gain
knowledge
University/lab settings
Can lead to applied
research

Applied
Practical significance
and potential solutions
Immediate application

Goals of Science
Describe
Predict
Explain

Descri
be
Careful and
objective
observations of
behavior
-when
-where
-how
-relation between
two events

Predicti
on
Identify factors
related to event
occurrence
The presence of
your predictor
variable helps
you predict the
presence/level of
your criterion
variable

Explanat
ion
When does the
behavior occur?

Familiarity (mere exposure

effect)

Why does the

behavior occur?
Manipulate factors
that cause event to
occur.
Systematically
eliminate alternative
explanations
Controlled
experimental studies

Coren, S. (2013, August). Do Dogs Look Like Their Owners? Psychology

Today. Retrieved from
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/201308/do-dogs-loo
k-their-owners

Intro to Research Methods in

Science:
Descriptive Methods

Observational
Case Studies
Surveys

Descriptive Methods:
Observation
Naturalistic

Laboratory

Descriptive Methods
Case study

Archival

Descriptive Methods:
Surveys
Easier to study large groups of
people
Sample
Population
Representative?
Random Sample

Predictive Methods:
Correlation
Positive

Negative

Predictive Methods:
Quasi-Experimental
Naturally occurring
groups/individuals
Subject/participant variable
Alternative explanation

Explanatory Method:
Experimental
Describe
Predict
Determine cause-and-effect

Experimental Method
Independent Variable
Manipulated

Dependent Variable
Measured

Experimental Method
Control Group
Baseline, no IV

Experimental Group
Treatment, one or
more levels of IV

Experimental Method
Random sample
Rarely a true random sample

Random Assignment
Controls for individual differences

Control for extraneous variables

Proof & Disproof

Research can support a theory
Proof logically impossible