PSYC 1013 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Systematic Desensitization, Aversion Therapy, Classical Conditioning
Document Summary
As a science, the field psychology follows methods of investigation. What we know about behavior is based on observation, theory, and research methodology. Note that theory is much more useful than common sense , and that to be a scientific theory, it must be testable. This criterion more than any other distinguishes scientific theory from other types of explanations regarding human behavior. Whenever you are presented with a theory (or claim) about behavior, How would i test that? if you cannot come up with a reasonable answer, then the theory is not likely to be based on scientific principles. Psychology takes many different approaches to the study of behavior. The important material here lies in the approaches taken to the study of behavior. For example, james was a functionalist he stressed the uses of behavior (or mental processes), particularly as they related to evolution and natural selection.
