PSYC1030 Lecture 1: Week 1 Lecture
Psyc1030 Lecture 1 - Intro
• The main goal is to get at the general principles that apply to all of humankind
• Does not discriminate between cultures
Scientific Method:
• Based on the empirical method
• Theory is something that is capable of being tested and supported by research
• How people behave and respond to roles
• Thik e ko hat’s goig to happe ut eed to hae a ope id
• Need to think critically
• Still need to be open to questioning and curious critical thinking
• Being able to produce the same results under different conditions – being able to replicate
Goals:
• Observe and describe what we see and why things happen the way they do
• Understand and predict – interplay between observations and what we can predict what can
happen in the future – creates ease in humans
• Apply research to practical problems to have some control over it to bring about change
Theory:
• Take a chunk to organise and explain it – not just describing
• Leads to new predictions and gives the framework for hypothesis
• Good theory fits the facts and makes predictions about future events
Observations:
• Hindsight – understanding after the event
• Understanding of how things might happen in the future
5 steps in the scientific method:
• 1.Formulate a testable hypothesis
• 2.Design a study
• 3.Conduct the study & collect data
• 4.Analyse & evaluate the data
• 5.Report the findings
Step 1:
• Relationship between two or more variables
• Coming from and theory and needs to say what we think will happen
• Needs to be testable and specific in goals
• Need to make the variables real in a way – measure the dependants
• Operational definitions – independent and other variables (measuring and manipulations)
• How to turn the variables into something that can be measured by changing the variables
through manipulation
• Reliability and validity – producing the consistent results, measuring what it is meant to
measure (such as IQ really being intelligence)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Psyc1030 lecture 1 - intro: the main goal is to get at the general principles that apply to all of humankind, does not discriminate between cultures. Theory: take a chunk to organise and explain it not just describing, good theory fits the facts and makes predictions about future events. Leads to new predictions and gives the framework for hypothesis. Observations: hindsight understanding after the event, understanding of how things might happen in the future. 5 steps in the scientific method: 1. formulate a testable hypothesis, 2. design a study, 3. conduct the study & collect data, 4. analyse & evaluate the data, 5. report the findings. Step 3: conduct the study and collect data, samples vs population, choosing of a sample (random and representative sampling, choosing of data collection techniques. Step 4: analyse the data and draw conclusions, any other explanations and what the findings might mean (potentially becomes the next study) Looking to generalise to other people and situations (maintaining of the findings)
