Scientific inquiry is a process of critical thinking and asking questions that helps determine factual information that has been tested and proved or disproved instead of relying on assumptions and intuition. Scientific inquiry is important in psychology, as it is in all fields of science, allowing us to examine assumptions, assess outcomes, discern hidden values, evaluate evidence, and put ideas to the test. This scientific approach guards us against hindsight bias, believing after learning an outcome that we would have foreseen it, known also as the knew-it-all-along phenomenon. It also protects us from judgmental overconfidence, the bias to seek information that confirms a judgment based on intuition. Hindsight bias and overconfidence often lead those to overestimate their intuition and common sense. Instead, scientific inquiry follows a scientific approach that is fed by a curious eagerness to skeptically scrutinize competing ideas and open-minded humility; utilized daily as critical thinking and allowing us to determine fact from fiction. With this scientific attitude we deploy the scientific method to create a theory. It begins with making observations. From these observations we form a theory, later refining the theory as new observations shed light on the subject matter. This scientific theory creates a hypothesis, the testable prediction. Psychologists use various methods of research such as the case study, the survey, naturalistic observation, correlation, and experimentation. In case studies, a psychologist will study one individual in depth. This process can show us what can happen and provide ideals which we can later infer to others. This individual though may be atypical and provide misrepresented data for the who... ... middle of paper ... ...This is due to how we process conscious and unconscious information. Conscious information is processed sequentially and slower than unconsciousness, meaning one event leads to the next and so on; as with multiple cars traveling down a one lane, one way road and stopping to pay a toll, only one car can process at a time. Unconsciousness moves faster because it processes information in parallel, simultaneously, meaning multiple events occur at once; as with a car travelling a parkway with multiple vehicles entering and exiting at multiple locations at the same time. Consciousness and unconsciousness are present in sensory processes such as hearing, seeing, reasoning, and remembering. While watching a woman jog by, you will consciously recognize that she is female, and simultaneously you will unconsciously process the fact that she is blonde and wearing black shorts.
The process of scientific inquiry begins with the motivation to uncover the answer to a question. It then requires extensive research to gather all the information that could possibly be useful. Finally, one must put all the pieces of the puzzle together to make sense of all the information gathered and interpret it to answer the question. The last step is to write out what has been learned and publicize it to spread the new knowledge. There are many other factors, however, that also come into play in the process of scientific inquiry.
The scientific method is how psychologists gain knowledge about the mind and behavior. It is used by all scientists. The experimental method is the one way to engage the scientific method, and the only way to find a cause and effect in relationships. It is summarized in five steps, observing some phenomenon in the world, forming a hypothesis which is an educated prediction about relationships between two or more variables, examining the gathered information by using empirical research, determining what the results are and drawing them, and evaluating the results whether it will support the hypothesis or not. Researchers, at the end, submit their work for publication for all to see and read (King, 2016). There are three types of psychological research in the scientific method, descriptive research, correlation, and experimental research (King, 2016). The article The Effects of Negative Body Talk in an Ethnically Diverse Sample of College Students (Katrevich, Register, & Aruguete, 2014) is an example of the experimental method.
Research Demonstration: The False Consensus Effect In science, we emphasize systematic, careful observation as a key to overcoming the limits of other methods of acquiring knowledge. That is, we trust systematic observation more than we trust our own intuition. We can actually investigate this issue. The following description provides you with the details necessary to conduct a simple study to investigate the accuracy of human intuition. We often believe that others are more like ourselves than they really are.
...ools and skills for skeptical thinking that are essential to survive in society today, many of which rely on critical thinking and common sense. In order for someone to be able to discern between true and false, right and wrong, they must be able to discuss the hypothesis, ignore any position of power, cast aside personal attachment to the subject or hypothesis, create a sound argument, have an understanding of Occam’s Razor, and have the ability to test the subject or hypothesis for falsities. These skills all prove necessary and important when comparing and contrasting anything, whether it’s from a scientific perspective or something that affects one’s daily life.
The American Psychological Association [APA] (2014) defines psychology as “the study of the mind and behavior[sic]”, encompassing all facets of the human experience (para. 1). This study of the mind and behaviour is scientific in nature and people who work in this field are called psychologists. Psychologists are interested in studying overt behaviours (actions and responses that can be observed directly) but are particularly interested in studying covert behaviours which are internal processes that cannot be observed directly (Jackson, 2008).
...gy; therefore, case studies have contributed to the development of this branch of psychology as a discipline in its own right.
Heart rate is the different intervals of a heart beat and is influenced in the sino-atrial node of the heart by parasympathetic and sympathetic input (Meule, et al., 2012). Heart rate is influenced by a person’s physical conditions, and health (Thayer et al., 2010). Body weight, alcohol, and smoking all influence our heart rate (Thayer et al., 2010; Karason et al., 1999). Our whole lifestyle influences our heart rate. From when we wake up to when we go to sleep, each activity our day has influences whether our heart rate increases or decreases. A data collection worksheet was given to me in a class and I had to fill out a survey and a list of activities. Each student had their information entered into a spreadsheet where I had to then choose two activities. One activity has a higher heart rate than the other and that is what we need to find using the scientific method. I hypothesize that the heart rate before resting is significantly lower than the heart rate when one eats dinner. The steps used in the scientific method is materials and methods, and the results that conclude whether the hypothesis was correct or wrong.
In general, cognitive psychology zeroes in on the processes at work between sensation and behavior. The decision making module in ZAPS is a great example supporting the notion that humans are not rational thinkers. Statistically we were asked the same questions and given the same options and statistical outcomes. However, as a class we gave different answers to the same scenarios. Decision making is the in-between transition converting sense into action, and it is this in-between that produced the changes in our answers to essentially the same questions. Cognitive psychology is used day to day, hence this ZAPS experiment applies to ordinary life as well. As discussed in class, surveys can take advantage of principles of framing and anchoring to bias answers, whether on purpose or inadvertently. As scientists it is our responsibility to use this knowledge and make our bias-free experiments. Overall the decision making ZAPS exercise was extremely useful in connecting what we learned in class regarding phenomenon to raw data, and demonstrating how relevant these phenomenons are in day to day
The development of psychology like all other sciences started with great minds debating unknown topics and searching for unknown answers. Early philosophers and psychologists such as Sir Francis Bacon and Charles Darwin took a scientific approach to psychology by introducing the ideas of measurement and biology into the way an indi...
Generally known as the idiographic approach, it emphasizes the uniqueness of each individual. Using case studies on a specific person is how a scientist would study the psychodynamic behavior(Assumptions.) Every perspective has its strengths and weaknesses. It is good that having to do a case study, that you can build a relationship and the client will be more open and giving towards the evaluation. A weakness of that would be since case studies are individual it’s not possible to generalize with other
The book, Think: Why You Should Question Everything, written by Guy P. Harrison, discusses the importance of becoming a skeptic. Harrison defines skepticism as, “Science in action…the scientific process modified and personalized for everyone to use in everyday life.” (p. 26) He urges his readers that it is of great importance and in their best interest for people to think critically. Think educates individuals on how to navigate through the standard deceptive processes of the brain, which tend to interfere with how individuals perceive (see, hear, think, remember, and believe) their world around them. Questioning everything will help to promote a smarter and safer world. He views skepticism as a lifestyle that is, “Positive, constructive, and optimistic”, and is available to anyone to practice. Harrison advises that the scientific method is the only antidote to nonsense and misunderstanding, which helps repel bad ideas, and promote reality.
Like any other science, psychology is concerned with theories and data. Psychologists use a wide range of research methods and techniques that allow them to gather and make sense of the data that they produce. The methods that psychologists use to research and analyse the experience and behaviours of individuals or groups are called psychological research methods. This essay will be investigating and analysing three research methods to include; experimental, observational and surveys, also, reflecting on their strengths and weaknesses of each in addition to their usefulness in the psychology field.
There have been debates regarding whether social psychology should be dealt as a natural science or not. The ideology of natural science is very important as it affects the way the social psychologist deals with the situations. For example, if there are specific scientific objectives then the study can be laboratory based and use experimental procedures in order to gain knowledge. Psychologists who use this positivistic method are classified as experimental social psychologists. On the other hand, critical-social psychologists have competed with the experimental-social psychologists. The strength of the critical-social psychologists is that they’ve used a range of different methods in research, and have...
Cheerleading is a sport that involves short routines that combine dance, gymnastics, and stunting. “Cheerleading’s roots are closely tied to American football’s” (Varsity). The sport started out as a way to boost school spirit, which helped improve team performance. Over time cheerleading has become an All-Star sport of its own (EpicSports).
Case studies are a collection of data obtained using various methods gathered on an individual or group to record areas of interest in order to assist with analysis and provide recommendations. The study should include the name of the person, although this should be protected to provide anonymity where appropriate, and a brief description of the subject. The setting where the study is to be performed should be included. The aim of the observation must be presented along with a report of the findings. The type of method used will depend upon the subject and the area of interest. Data is gathered on the subject in this case observations were used to provide the data. An interpretation of the study will be made in order to provide a conclusion and recommendations made if applicable. Freud famously used the case studies that he carried out on his patients to develop his Psychoanalytic Theory.