Challenge Your Scientific Thinking

Research Process and Scientific Thinking

• Science assumes there is a physical universe with order that can be discovered through research.

• Ideas in science are tentative and subject to change with new information.

• Observation refers to observable facts, while inferences are interpretations of those facts.

• Constructs are ideas not easily observed, and reification refers to believing constructs as facts.

• Inductive thinking starts with specific instances and tries to come up with a theory to explain them, while deductive thinking starts with a theory and tests it.

• Theories in science must be testable and falsifiable.

• The seven phases of research are idea generation, problem definition, procedures design, observation, data analysis, interpretation, and evaluation.

• Correlational research using surveys will be used for the course project with college students as the sample.

• Ethical considerations must be taken into account when designing and conducting research.

• Data analysis involves computing statistics to make sense of the results.

• Interpretation involves making sense of the results and relating them to the research questions.

• Results may not always match the initial hypotheses, and it is the researcher's job to explain why.Research Methods and Communication

• Women are more open to the idea that dreams have meaning compared to men on average.

• The person who signs up for a study is usually the female in the relationship.

• Results of research can be explained in various ways, and communication of research is important.

• Presenting research at conferences and publishing work in journals or books can set one's resume apart from others.

• Level of constraint refers to how much control one has in research, with naturalistic observation being the least controlled and experiment being the most controlled.

• Observational research involves going out into the natural environment without any attempt to control someone's behavior.

• Case study approach is useful in studying rare situations or conditions that don't necessarily apply to everybody.

• Correlational research looks at the relationship between two or more variables and cannot be used to establish causation.

• Differential research involves comparing pre-existing groups, while the experimental approach involves randomly assigning people to groups and allows for the establishment of cause and effect.

• Survey research is often used in conjunction with the correlational approach.

• Worksheets on inference versus observation and faulty thinking should be completed.

• Brainstorm and refine topics, and reach out for help if needed.

Research Process and Scientific Thinking

• Science assumes there is a physical universe with order that can be discovered through research.

• Ideas in science are tentative and subject to change with new information.

• Observation refers to observable facts, while inferences are interpretations of those facts.

• Constructs are ideas not easily observed, and reification refers to believing constructs as facts.

• Inductive thinking starts with specific instances and tries to come up with a theory to explain them, while deductive thinking starts with a theory and tests it.

• Theories in science must be testable and falsifiable.

• The seven phases of research are idea generation, problem definition, procedures design, observation, data analysis, interpretation, and evaluation.

• Correlational research using surveys will be used for the course project with college students as the sample.

• Ethical considerations must be taken into account when designing and conducting research.

• Data analysis involves computing statistics to make sense of the results.

• Interpretation involves making sense of the results and relating them to the research questions.

• Results may not always match the initial hypotheses, and it is the researcher's job to explain why.Research Methods and Communication

• Women are more open to the idea that dreams have meaning compared to men on average.

• The person who signs up for a study is usually the female in the relationship.

• Results of research can be explained in various ways, and communication of research is important.

• Presenting research at conferences and publishing work in journals or books can set one's resume apart from others.

• Level of constraint refers to how much control one has in research, with naturalistic observation being the least controlled and experiment being the most controlled.

• Observational research involves going out into the natural environment without any attempt to control someone's behavior.

• Case study approach is useful in studying rare situations or conditions that don't necessarily apply to everybody.

• Correlational research looks at the relationship between two or more variables and cannot be used to establish causation.

• Differential research involves comparing pre-existing groups, while the experimental approach involves randomly assigning people to groups and allows for the establishment of cause and effect.

• Survey research is often used in conjunction with the correlational approach.

• Worksheets on inference versus observation and faulty thinking should be completed.

• Brainstorm and refine topics, and reach out for help if needed.

Basic Assumptions and Phases of Psychological Research

• Science is based on assumptions that include the existence of a physical universe that is orderly and discoverable through observation and inference.
• Facts in psychology are observable events, while constructs are inferred from observations and used as if they really exist.
• Inductive thinking moves from specific instances to general theories, while deductive thinking moves from general theories to predict specific instances.
• Scientific theories must be testable and falsifiable, and they help organize and predict data.
• The phases of research include idea generation, problem definition, procedures design, observation, data analysis, interpretation, and communication.
• Ideas for research can come from personal interests or the work of others, and they should be critically evaluated in the problem definition phase.
• The procedures design phase involves translating research ideas into testable hypotheses and planning each step of the research process, while considering ethical issues.
• The observation phase is the central activity of scientific research, where data is gathered to answer the research questions.
• The data analysis phase involves evaluating the data using statistical procedures that were selected in the procedures design phase.
• Interpreting the results of the study involves making sense of the statistical findings and considering other possible interpretations of the data.
• Communication of research is important for allowing others to judge, build on, or challenge the work, and this can be done through conference presentations or publishing in journals or books.
• Levels of constraint in psychological research range from naturalistic observation, case-study research, and correlational research, to differential research and experimental research, which involves the highest level of constraint.