1. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH AND THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD

2. LESSON OBJECTIVES To understand what is meant by science and how it differs from other methods and knowledge. To recognise different types of data.

3. NATURE OF SCIENCE Science means knowledge but not all knowledge is scientific It is systematic knowledge that covers general truths, general principles and laws. It also refers to a system of obtaining knowledge Objectivity is the key feature –knowledge that can be verified by measurements – empiricism This makes it replicable Another key feature is that it is rational

4. CHARACTERISTICS Science is empirically based not intuitive Information is collected in a controlled systematic way Reporting is unbiased and objective Ideas/hypotheses can be tested and are falsifiable It is not common sense, belief based or pseudoscience – these can all be based on little or no evidence

5. TYPES OF DATA Nominal Data – involves counting of frequency data Ordinal Data – involves the rank –ordering of data