PSY 111 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Social Desirability Bias, Operational Definition, Psy
1 Dec 2020
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Document Summary
Hindsight understanding arrive at explanations after-the-fact. Major limitation is due to various explanations for behaviour with no sure way to determine correct alternative. Understanding through prediction, control, and theory building. Theory development is strongest test of scientific understanding, because good theories generate an integrated network of predictions. Incorporates existing facts and observations within single broad framework. Testable, generating new hypotheses whose accuracy can be evaluated by gathering new evidence. Predictions supported by findings of new research. Conforms to law of parsimony: if two theories can explain and predict the same phenomena equally well, the simpler is preferred. Theory never regarded as absolute truth, as future observation can contradict it. Requires coding system to measure diverse behaviours. Observers and researchers must use system identically for reliable measurements. Archival measures: use of already existing records or documents to gather behavioural information. Variable: any characteristic that can differ (gender, age, ethnicity, etc. )
