Psych 1000 Chapter 2 Textbook Notes
Psychologists and other scientists share three sets of interrelated goals:
1. Measurement and description: science’s commitment to observation requires that an
investigator figure out a way to measure the phenomenon under study. Thus, the first
goal of psychology is to develop measurement techniques that make it possible to
describe behaviour clearly and precisely
2. Understanding and prediction: make and test a hypothesis.
3. Application and control: Many scientists hope that the information they gather will be
of some practical value in helping to solve everyday problems once people understand
the phenomenon they often can exert more control over it. to build toward a better
understanding of behaviour they construct theories.
Hypothesis: a tentative statement about the relationship between two or more variables.
Variables: are any measurable conditions, events, characteristics, or behaviours that are
controlled or observed in a study
How do theories help scientists to achieve their goals?
Theory: a system of interrelated ideas used to explain a set of observations.
By integrating apparently unrelated facts and principles into a coherent whole, the
series permits psychologists to make the leap from the description of behaviour to the
understanding of behaviour.
A scientific theory must be testable, as the cornerstone of science is, its commitment to putting
ideas to an empirical test.
● Steps in a scientific investigation:
scientific investigations are systematic
➔ Step 1: formulate a testable hypothesis
translate a theory or an intuitive idea into a testable hypothesis; to be testable, scientific
hypotheses must be formulated precisely, and the variables under study must be clearly
defined. researchers achieve these clear formulations by providing operational
definitions of the relevant variables.
, operational definition: describes the actions or operations that will be used to measure
or control a variable; establish precisely what is meant by each variable in the context of
a study
➔ Step 2: select the research method and design the study
figure out how to put the hypothesis to an empirical test. Each research method has
disadvantages and advantages. The researcher has to consider the pros and cons, and
then select the strategy that appears to be the most appropriate and practical. Once
researchers have chosen a general method they must make detailed plans for executing
their study.
participants: the persons or animals whose behaviour is systematically observed in a
study
➔ Step 3: collect the data
data collection techniques: Procedures for making empirical observations and
measurements; the data collection techniques used in a study depend largely on what is
being investigated
➔ Step 4: analyze the data and draw conclusions
The observations made in a study are usually converted into numbers, which constitute
the raw data of the study. Researchers use statistics to analyze their data and to decide
whether their hypothesis has been supported. Statistics play an essential role in the
scientific enterprise. Based on their statistical analyses, the researchers concluded that
their data supported their hypothesis
➔ Step 5: report the findings
The publication of research results in a fundamental aspect of scientific enterprise.
Scientific progress can be achieved only if researchers share their findings with one
another and with the general public. The final step in a scientific investigation is to write
up a concise summary of the study and its findings. Typically, researchers prepare a
report that is delivered at a scientific meeting and submitted to a journal for publication
Journal: a periodical that publishes Technical and scholarly material, usually in a
narrowly defined area of inquiry
Psychologists and other scientists share three sets of interrelated goals:
1. Measurement and description: science’s commitment to observation requires that an
investigator figure out a way to measure the phenomenon under study. Thus, the first
goal of psychology is to develop measurement techniques that make it possible to
describe behaviour clearly and precisely
2. Understanding and prediction: make and test a hypothesis.
3. Application and control: Many scientists hope that the information they gather will be
of some practical value in helping to solve everyday problems once people understand
the phenomenon they often can exert more control over it. to build toward a better
understanding of behaviour they construct theories.
Hypothesis: a tentative statement about the relationship between two or more variables.
Variables: are any measurable conditions, events, characteristics, or behaviours that are
controlled or observed in a study
How do theories help scientists to achieve their goals?
Theory: a system of interrelated ideas used to explain a set of observations.
By integrating apparently unrelated facts and principles into a coherent whole, the
series permits psychologists to make the leap from the description of behaviour to the
understanding of behaviour.
A scientific theory must be testable, as the cornerstone of science is, its commitment to putting
ideas to an empirical test.
● Steps in a scientific investigation:
scientific investigations are systematic
➔ Step 1: formulate a testable hypothesis
translate a theory or an intuitive idea into a testable hypothesis; to be testable, scientific
hypotheses must be formulated precisely, and the variables under study must be clearly
defined. researchers achieve these clear formulations by providing operational
definitions of the relevant variables.
, operational definition: describes the actions or operations that will be used to measure
or control a variable; establish precisely what is meant by each variable in the context of
a study
➔ Step 2: select the research method and design the study
figure out how to put the hypothesis to an empirical test. Each research method has
disadvantages and advantages. The researcher has to consider the pros and cons, and
then select the strategy that appears to be the most appropriate and practical. Once
researchers have chosen a general method they must make detailed plans for executing
their study.
participants: the persons or animals whose behaviour is systematically observed in a
study
➔ Step 3: collect the data
data collection techniques: Procedures for making empirical observations and
measurements; the data collection techniques used in a study depend largely on what is
being investigated
➔ Step 4: analyze the data and draw conclusions
The observations made in a study are usually converted into numbers, which constitute
the raw data of the study. Researchers use statistics to analyze their data and to decide
whether their hypothesis has been supported. Statistics play an essential role in the
scientific enterprise. Based on their statistical analyses, the researchers concluded that
their data supported their hypothesis
➔ Step 5: report the findings
The publication of research results in a fundamental aspect of scientific enterprise.
Scientific progress can be achieved only if researchers share their findings with one
another and with the general public. The final step in a scientific investigation is to write
up a concise summary of the study and its findings. Typically, researchers prepare a
report that is delivered at a scientific meeting and submitted to a journal for publication
Journal: a periodical that publishes Technical and scholarly material, usually in a
narrowly defined area of inquiry
