Observing is something we often do instinctively. It helps us decide, for instance, whether it is safe to cross the road. But observation is simply more than noticing something. It involves perception — we become aware of something through our senses. Standing on a roadside, our eyes tell us cars are quickly approaching. We recognise that stepping in front of a car is dangerous, so we wait until the road is clear. Observation is essential in science. Scientists use observation to collect and record data, which enables them to develop and then test hypotheses and theories.
The scientific method offers a standardized way for psychologists to test hypotheses, build on theories, and gain knowledge about the mind. All scientific disciplines are united by their use of the scientific method. The scientific method offers an objective methodology for scientific experimentation that results in unbiased interpretations of the world and refines knowledge.
The scientific method was first outlined by Sir Francis Bacon — and allows for logical, rational problem solving across many scientific fields. Across all scientific disciplines, the major precepts of the scientific method are verifiability, predictability, falsifiability, and fairness.
The Scientific Method : The scientific method is a process for gathering data and processing information. It provides well-defined steps to standardize how scientific knowledge is gathered through a logical, rational problem-solving method.
This diagram shows the steps of the scientific method, which are listed below. Two key concepts in the scientific approach are theory and hypothesis. A theory is used to make predictions about future observations. A hypothesis is a testable prediction that is arrived at logically from a theory. Several types of studies exist within the scientific method— experiments, descriptive studies, case studies, surveys, and non-descriptive studies. In an experiment a researcher manipulates certain variables and measures their effect on other variables in a controlled environment.
Descriptive studies describe the nature of the relationship between the intended variables, without looking at cause or effect. A case study covers one specific example in which something unusual has occurred.
This is often done in extreme or rare cases, usually with a single subject. A prediction is similar to a hypothesis but it is truly a guess. For instance, they might predict that their friend is tall because he drinks a lot of milk. A valid hypothesis must be testable. It should also be falsifiable, meaning that it can be disproven by experimental results. This step—openness to disproving ideas—is what distinguishes sciences from non-sciences. The presence of the supernatural, for instance, is neither testable nor falsifiable.
To test a hypothesis, a researcher will conduct one or more experiments designed to eliminate one or more of the hypotheses. Each experiment will have one or more variables and one or more controls. A variable is any part of the experiment that can vary or change during the experiment.
The control group contains every feature of the experimental group except it is not given the manipulation that is hypothesized. For example, a control group could be a group of varied teenagers that did not drink milk and they could be compared to the experimental group, a group of varied teenagers that did drink milk.
Thus, if the results of the experimental group differ from the control group, the difference must be due to the hypothesized manipulation rather than some outside factor. Often, our eyes and our brains play tricks on us, letting us see what we expect to see, instead of what is actually there.
This experiment is a classic trick that science teachers use to teach students about observation. Sometimes we see what we expect to see instead of what is really there. To try this fun trick, you will need:. Carefully peel the banana and cut a section about 3 or 4 inches long. You want it to be as straight as possible. You also want to be sure that it has no brown spots.
I use one that is still slightly green, as they are firmer and lighter in color. What you are trying for is something that looks like a candle. Once you have the length of banana, place it into the candle holder. The more fancy the holder, the better the illusion. OK that looks something like a candle, but there is no way we can light the banana on fire.
In a real candle, the wick carries melted wax up to feed the flame. A banana does not melt, and even if it could, the liquid would not burn. We need to find a different way to light our edible candle.
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