1 – Psychology is a way of thinking
Research types
- Producers: make new information/knowledge
- Consumers: reading and using existing info
o Evidence-based-treatments: read with critical eye
o Interrogating research information
Psychological scientists
1. Empiricists: using evidence from the senses & instruments for that
2. Test theories: the theory-data cycle
Theory – research questions – research design – hypotheses – data.
Theory = set of statements that relates two variables
Hypothesis = specific prediction
Data = set of observations
Good theories are... 1) supported by data 2) falsifiable 3) having parsimony (simple)
3. Tackle applied & basic problems: empirical approach
o Applied research: purpose of directly applying the solution (=practical)
o Basic research: solid research for later, applied studies
o Translational research: bridge example. Treatment & intervention
4. Dig deeper: new questions arise from the research
5. The public process: send theory to a scientific journal -> peer-review process
6. From journal to journalism: summarizing it for a popular audience
BUT they might distort the story! (importance or accuracy)
SO look for the original source!
!!! Theories are never (dis)proved, only weight of evidence!
2 – Sources of information: why research is best
Sources of evidence:
1. Experience
2. Intuition
3. Authority
Experience (1) Research
- has no comparison group + studies with good comparison groups
- has no confounding factors (what is the actual + conclusions are probabilistic: never
cause?) (dis)proved. Not always an explanation!
Intuition (2) Research
- biased by faulty thinking (cognitive biases) + researchers are aware of their potential for
‘Makes sense’/good theory biased reasoning, so create situations where
Availability heuristic: easily to mind they can observe behaviour objectively.
Present/present bias: only see it when - Comparison groups, collect data
the treatment works - Allow data to change their beliefs
- biased by motivation: get expected answers
- biased about being biased: bias blind spot
Trusting authorities on the subject (3)
- Authorities are trying to convince us of their claims
- Based on experience + intuition >> don’t take them!
- Empirical evidence is good.
Research types
- Producers: make new information/knowledge
- Consumers: reading and using existing info
o Evidence-based-treatments: read with critical eye
o Interrogating research information
Psychological scientists
1. Empiricists: using evidence from the senses & instruments for that
2. Test theories: the theory-data cycle
Theory – research questions – research design – hypotheses – data.
Theory = set of statements that relates two variables
Hypothesis = specific prediction
Data = set of observations
Good theories are... 1) supported by data 2) falsifiable 3) having parsimony (simple)
3. Tackle applied & basic problems: empirical approach
o Applied research: purpose of directly applying the solution (=practical)
o Basic research: solid research for later, applied studies
o Translational research: bridge example. Treatment & intervention
4. Dig deeper: new questions arise from the research
5. The public process: send theory to a scientific journal -> peer-review process
6. From journal to journalism: summarizing it for a popular audience
BUT they might distort the story! (importance or accuracy)
SO look for the original source!
!!! Theories are never (dis)proved, only weight of evidence!
2 – Sources of information: why research is best
Sources of evidence:
1. Experience
2. Intuition
3. Authority
Experience (1) Research
- has no comparison group + studies with good comparison groups
- has no confounding factors (what is the actual + conclusions are probabilistic: never
cause?) (dis)proved. Not always an explanation!
Intuition (2) Research
- biased by faulty thinking (cognitive biases) + researchers are aware of their potential for
‘Makes sense’/good theory biased reasoning, so create situations where
Availability heuristic: easily to mind they can observe behaviour objectively.
Present/present bias: only see it when - Comparison groups, collect data
the treatment works - Allow data to change their beliefs
- biased by motivation: get expected answers
- biased about being biased: bias blind spot
Trusting authorities on the subject (3)
- Authorities are trying to convince us of their claims
- Based on experience + intuition >> don’t take them!
- Empirical evidence is good.
