PSYCH230 Chapter Notes - Chapter 0: Adit, Demand Characteristics, Random Assignment
16 Feb 2017
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Theory: an integrated set of principles that explain and predict observed events. Theories are ideas that summarize and explain facts and also imply testable predictions called hypotheses. Hypothesis: a testable proposition that describes a relationship that may exist between events. When testing theories with specific hypotheses, however, we must always translate variables that are described at the theoretical level into the specific variables that we are going to observe. A good theory: effectively summarizes a wide range of observations, makes clear predictions that we can use to confirm or modify the theory, generate new exploration and suggest practical application. When we discard theories usually it is not because they are proven false but because there are replaced by newer and better models. Field research: done in natural, real-life settings outside the laboratory. Correlational research: the study of the naturally occurring relationships among variables.
