Testing – new part
6 Test
The Basic Process of Scientific Research
Learning Outcomes
After reading this chapter, you will be able to:
1. describe the principles of the scientific method;2. differentiate hypotheses from predictions
3. describe why operational definitions are important 4. understand why we need peer review before publishing our research findings
Psychologists are not the only people who seek to understand human behaviour and solve social problems. Philosophers, religious leaders, and politicians, among others, also strive to provide explanations for human behaviour. However, psychologists believe that research is the best tool for understanding human beings and their relationships with others. Rather than accepting the claim that people do or do not have free will, a psychologist would collect data to empirically test whether or not people are able to actively control their own behaviour. Rather than accepting an argument that creating or abandoning a new centre for mental health will improve the lives of individuals in the inner city, a psychologist would empirically assess the effects of receiving mental health treatment on quality of life. The statements made by psychologists are empirical, which means they are based on systematic collection and analysis of data.
The scientific method can be simplified into a series of steps. Basically, ideas (in the form of theories and hypotheses) are tested against the real world (in the form of empirical observations). Then, those empirical observations lead to more ideas that are tested against the real world, and so on. In this sense, the scientific process is circular. As psychologists learn more about something, that knowledge generates further questions that can be turned into hypotheses. As our knowledge is expanded, we may have to change a theory to account for it.
Figure X
The Scientific Method as an Ongoing Process
Note. A scientific approach to knowledge acquisition starts with proposing a research question followed by a testable and tentative hypothesis. Then data will be gathered to verify or potentially falsify the hypothesis.
Scientific_Method_3-1-768×576.jpg
[Alt text: This diagram shows the ongoing process of the scientific method, including making observations, thinking of interesting questions, formulating hypotheses, developing testable predictions, gathering data to test predictions, and developing general theories.]
A theory is a well-developed set of ideas that proposes an explanation for observed phenomena. Theories are repeatedly checked against the world, but they tend to be too complex to be tested all at once; instead, researchers create hypotheses to test specific aspects of a theory. A hypothesis is a testable prediction about how the world will behave, and it is often worded as an if-then statement (e.g., if I study all night, then I will get a passing grade on the test). The hypothesis is extremely important as it bridges the gap between the realm of ideas and