What are the types of sciences? (4)
natural, social, formal, applied
Give examples of natural sciences in psychology.
biopsychology, neuroscience
Give examples of social sciences in psychology.
social + community psychologies
Give examples of formal sciences in psychology.
computational + mathematical psychologies
Give examples of applied sciences in psychology.
clinical, educational
What are the steps of the generic research process? (7)
- Generate research question
- Develop aims and/or hypothesis
- Design a study
- Ethics approval
- Collect data
- Analyse data
- Report results
Define ontology.
theories about the nature of reality/being
Define epistemology.
theories about the nature of knowledge
What are on the far ends of the ontological continuum?
realism, relativism
What is the belief of realism?
reality exists independently of the observer & we can access it through research
What is the belief of relativism?
reality is dependent on the ways we come to know it
What are on the far ends of the epistemological continuum?
positivism, interpretivism
What is the belief of positivism?
knowledge is objective & discovered through the scientific method
What is the belief of interpretivists?
knowledge is subjective & formed at the individual level
Where on the continuums are the aims and hypotheses of quantitative research?
positivist/realist
Where on the continuums are the aims and hypotheses of qualitative research?
critical realist/relativist
What does quantitative research aim to do?
explain + predict generalisable ‘truths’ about the world
What does qualitative research aim to do?
describe + understand versions of the ‘truth’ specific to a unique population
Does quantitative research construct the theory before or after analysis/observation? Is this reasoning inductive or deductive?
before; deductive
Does qualitative research construct the theory before or after analysis/observation? Is this reasoning inductive or deductive?
after; inductive
Does pragmatism use quantitative or qualitative methods?
both
What are the 4 objectives of science?
to describe, explain, predict, control
What make a good (quantitative) research question? (4)
empirically testable, interesting/useful, feasible, specific
