PSYC 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 42: Confirmation Bias, Drug Tolerance, Falsifiability

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 1000
• Professor: Dan Meegan

Document Summary

Psychology midterm: the scientific method (pg 3-5) Scientific method: the way of learning about the world through collecting observations, developing theories to explain them, and using the theories to make predictions. Hypothesis (making predictions): a testable prediction about processes that can be observed and measured. Can be confirmed or rejected. (you do not prove a hypothesis). Example: cigarette smoking causes cancer - can be confirmed or rejected. Pseudoscience: an idea that is presented as science but does not actually utilize scientific thinking or procedure. Theory: an explanation for a broad range of observations that also generate new hypothesis and integrates numerous findings into a coherent world. (term is used casually). Not the same thing as opinions or beliefs. May be several theories, for example why people become depressed. A good theory is not measured by how many people believe its true.