Its All Too Much

ScienceandPsychologySlides Prepared by Alison L. OMalleyPasser Chapter 1

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Door 1Door 2Door 3The Three-Door Problem Stay or switch? 2Table 1.1 Feedback Sent to vos Savant Following Her Switch Solution to the Three-Door ProblemPasser: Research Methods, First Edition 2014 by Worth Publishers, Macmillan Higher Education

3Bases for Beliefs Tenacity Authority Reason Empiricism Discuss the strengthsand weaknesses of each.

4Table 1.2 The Use of Reason: A Logical Analysis of All Possible Outcomesin the Three-Door Problem, When Initially Selecting Door 1Passer: Research Methods, First Edition 2014 by Worth Publishers, Macmillan Higher Education

5Empiricism: 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!6How many licks does it take to get to the tootsie-roll center of a tootsie pop?

See also www.tootsie.com/gal_licks.phpDo Ghosts exist?Goals of ScienceDescriptionExplanationPrediction Control

How do theory and hypothesis-testing fit into each goal?

9Lets Test Our TheoryWhats 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?

11Causal Inferences Causal inferences are possible when three conditions have been met: Covariation. As X changes, Y changes. Temporal order. Change in X occurs before change in Y. Absence of plausible alternative explanations. Other factors that could have driven the change in Y can be ruled out. X has a causal effect on YExplanation Draw a causal model depicting the hypothesized distal and proximal causes of ________. 13Three 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

15Falsifiability

Can an assertion be disproven? Operationism Whats inside shouldnt be a mystery

Define concepts clearly and carefully! Operationism Whats inside shouldnt be a mystery

Generate an operationaldefinition forSTRESS.Table 1.3 Identifying Empirical and Nonempirical QuestionsPasser: Research Methods, First Edition 2014 by Worth Publishers, Macmillan Higher Education

19Is science the key to everything?

Science alsoInvolves public reporting ideally in refereed journals Is tentative, not absolute theories are challenged and refined Is self-correcting operational definitions aid in replicationIs but one source of knowledge restricted to empirical questions 21Characteristics of Science Why isnt it appropriate to describe the scientific method as a single method of conducting research?

ScienceScientific Research: Basic and Applied An industrial-organizational psychologist examines the relationship between CEO compensation and organizational performance.

Is this basic or applied research? Explain. 23Basic vs Applied ResearchValue of Research Methods Training Research methods are only useful if you want to be a researcher, right?

Lets reconsider

How could mastery of research methods help this recent graduate?

25Skepticism Skepticism is an outlook that entails careful evaluation of evidence rather than blind acceptance of claims.

Ask critical thinking questions!

Ask YourselfWhat claim is being made? What is the source of the claim? Can I gather info about source credibility? What supporting evidence is offered? What is the quality of the evidence? Are there plausible alternative explanations for the findings? Are the interpretations of the findings reasonable? What additional evidence is needed to reach a clearer conclusion? Given the current state of the evidence, what conclusion is most reasonable?